Rose and Dimitri Journey Complete
by vard123
Summary: Life is going blissfully well for Rose and Dimitri. Life as a Guardian is never easy, but with wedding bells and the possibility of children on the horizon, it seems as though nothing could tear them apart. But as the Strigoi threat continues to grow, sacrifices must be made and lines must be drawn. Will outside forces once again threaten to tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

I strummed my fingers impatiently on my knee before Dimitri's hand caught mine, halting my nervous fidgeting. _Right Rose, channel that inner zen master. You can do this_, I thought to myself as I looked over at Dimitri. He was the picture of patience and I gave a small smile. _I can do this_. I turned back to face Adrian filled with my newfound zen and wisdom, only to find him still fidgeting and glancing nervously between Sydney and Declan and myself and Dimitri. _Oh for Vlad's sake, just spit it out!_

"Can somebody finally tell us what's going on?" I borderline yelled, shrugging as Dimitri rolled his eyes in my direction. _Nice one Rose, very zen._

Adrian took a deep breath, and Dimitri and I stilled in anticipation. Adrian was never nervous, so I was really starting to worry what news he had in store.

"What I'm about to say is going to change everything you think," Adrian said, glancing at us with a strange look in his eyes. "You two in particular are about to get your worlds rocked."

I looked at him expectantly, and I could practically feel the tension rolling off Dimitri as he sat next to me, still gripping my hand in his.

Adrian glanced back at Sydney one more time, seeming to find his resolve as he continued on. "Neil is Declan's father," he stated, pausing as if he expected some sort of backlash from me on the matter. Unfortunately there was some news that stunned even Rose Hathaway to silence; right now I was too busy staring at Adrian like he'd grown a second head. _He's lost it. Spirit has finally caught up to him_.

One quick glance and Dimitri and I could see I wasn't alone; he too was looking at Adrian with an expression of complete bewilderment.

I finally broke the silence. "Have you lost the plot? You know that two Dhampirs can't reproduce together."

Adrian let out a sharp laugh in return, nervously running his hand through his hair. "Hear me out, okay? Olive had only ever been with Neil. She knew he was the father and when she found out she freaked out - understandably. She didn't want their baby to be a lab experiment so she ran away and kept it a secret."

"How is that possible?" Dimitri cut in. I glanced over at him to try and get a feel for his take on the situation, only to find his Guardian mask firmly in place.

Adrian looked between us nervously again, "we think... we think it's something to do with the restoration. That it altered her genetic makeup and made it possible for them to conceive... that would ... obviously have implications for the two of you."

I felt Dimitri's hand tighten over mine but I was completely frozen. I couldn't even find the words to comprehend what Adrian had just said. Rose Hathaway was well and truly speechless.

The sound of Declan letting out a little squeal behind me brought me out of my frozen state. I turned around to look at him, sitting in Sydney's arms and playing happily with a lock of her hair. For a split second I didn't see Declan, I saw a tiny Dimitri sitting in my arms and staring at me with chocolate eyes. _Could I give Dimitri a family?_ It was always a difficult topic for me. Dimitri was older, and I know that the idea of kids was a dream of his. By being with me he had given up on that dream, and, although he swears it doesn't bother him, a small part of me worries that it must. That one day he'll turn around and realise that I wasn't worth giving up Tasha's offer for.

I turned back to Dimitri, a thousand questions on my mind. I didn't have time to voice any of them. Suddenly, all 6 foot 7 inches of Dimitri was up and off the couch. In three long strides he'd made it to the front door, slamming it shut behind him. Everyone in the rooms eyes following him in confusion, and I continued staring at the front door my mouth gaping. _Didn't he want this?_ I'd seen the way he behaved around Declan and his little niece and nephew, he adored them. I genuinely could not wrap my head around his reaction as I continued staring at the front door, as if I expected him to materialise back in that spot.

"Well," Adrian broke the silence, "that was ... strange."

I looked back at Adrian, trying to give a small smile and shrug it off. In truth though, Dimitir's reaction hurt. Did he not want children with me? Adrian could see right through me, whether through my aura or through the understanding we'd always shared I wasn't sure.

"It'll be okay, Little Dhampir. Why don't you go and find him?" I nodded again, getting up and making my way to the door with one final confused glance in Declan's direction.

I decided to head right, to the left of us was a lot of shops and people, something that I knew Dimitri would avoid at the best of times. I wandered in the general direction of the only park in the area, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of Dimitri. I mean, the man was practically a giant, he hardly blended in. As I continued my search I tried to keep the steady feeling of dread and panic out of my mind. Truth by told, the way that Dimitri had reacted had really hurt and confused me. I couldn't help the steady wave of rejection that continued to creep its way over me. _He doesn't want a family with you. There's no other explanation for him reacting like that_.

I finally reached the park, which I figured would be my best bet. As I scanned the more secluded areas in the tree lines I saw him. He was sitting on a bench, bent forward with his head cradled in his hands. I took a deep breath and started towards him. I knew by this stage that his superior Guardian observation skills would have detected me, but he didn't acknowledge my presence as I slowly made my way towards the bench and took a seat next to him.

"Comrade?" I whispered. I kicked myself as the hurt and confusion I was feeling came pouring out in that one small word.

He finally turned to face me, taking my hand in his and kissing it softly. "I'm sorry I reacted like that Roza... I was upset, and I just needed to get away. But I shouldn't have left you to deal with that on your own."

I looked at him, still utterly confused. "Why are you upset? I thought..." I took a deep breath, trying to stop my voice from breaking, "I thought you wanted this... kids. Do you not want them with me?" I looked away, embarrassed as a single tear slipped out on the last word. Dimitri immediately had me in his arms, his face buried in my hair. "Of course I want children with you, Roza! Nothing would make me happier," he mumbled into my hair. I pulled back, looking at him in confusion as he took my face in his hands, wiping away the single tear that had fallen with the pad of his thumb. I met his eyes in absolute bewilderment. This man was making no sense!

"Then why are you upset?" Now it was his turn to look confused as he stared back at me.

"Roza..." he continued to look at me, his gaze turning sad. "We've been together for over a year now... if it hasn't happened by now I doubt it ever will." He looked down before continuing, "but for a second I allowed myself to believe it was possible. That hope was painful. I'm so sorry that I placed those kinds of expectations on you. I know you think that children are something I need, but I love you Roza. Please forgive me - you could never disappoint me. You're all I need." He met my eyes pleadingly.

I let out a sharp laugh and Dimitri stared at me incredulously. "Why are you laughing?" He looked almost offended, and that only made me laugh harder. He glanced around nervously, almost like he was afraid I was having some sort of fit or episode. Seeing so much emotion radiating off the usually stoic Dimitri was entertaining as hell, but I finally got a handle on myself and decided to put the poor man out of his misery.

I held out my arm to him, pinching the skin where I knew the contraceptive rod sat. He looked at it in confusion and I chuckled, it didn't surprise me that Dimitri had very little knowledge of these matters. He was gorgeous, but the man was practically a monk. He flushed bright scarlet anytime I made even the slightest innuendo to our sex life, and I knew that there was no one serious before me despite his age.

"All the novice girls get these implanted," I explained as his gaze lifted from my arm to meet my eyes in confusion. "It's a contraceptive that lasts for three years. We get them because it stops our periods, which makes training a lot easier. Seriously comrade, did you never notice that in all our time together I've never gotten my period?" I rolled my eyes as understanding dawned on Dimitri's face. I mean seriously, the man was trained to be highly deductive and observant and he'd never once noticed that his girlfriend never had her period. It was laughable, but I suppose it's not the sort of thing a guy turns his mind to when he's getting lucky on a regular basis.

Suddenly Dimitri was grinning from ear to ear as he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. I laughed again. "Looks like you could have saved yourself a major freak out, comrade." He pulled back to look at me, meeting my eyes sheepishly.

"I'm sorry Roza, I don't mean to rush you. I know you're younger than me and I'm happy to wait. I'm just so happy that there is a chance for us."

"I know, Dimitri." I gave him a small smile, "I'm happy too. I promise one day we'll try." I was met with a thousand megawatt smile and I chuckled. "But for now I don't plan on being a contestant on Teen Mom, okay?" He rolled his eyes at my reference. I was really rubbing off on that man.

He smiled again and pulled me into a deep, searing kiss. I'd just begun to lose myself in it when Dimitri suddenly pulled back.

"Roza..." he met my eyes looking sheepish again, "when do you think you'll be ready? I'm not trying to rush you" he continued quickly, "I just would like a rough timeline to work with."

I scoffed. "Easy tiger. You haven't even gotten me down the aisle yet."

"No," he smiled, giving me another kiss. "Not yet."


	2. Chapter 2

1 year later

"All clear?" I heard Eddie voice coming through my earpiece.

"Clear." I confirmed, "the Queen's on board. Complete one final perimeter check and we'll take off."

"Aye-aye, Captain," I heard Eddie's sarcastic comment and rolled my eyes.

"Watch it Castile, or I'll put you on paperwork for a month."

"You'd miss me too much," he replied with a laugh before pausing briefly. "Perimeter check complete. I'm coming on board with Belikov."

I sighed contently as I stood to the side of the plane in my guarding position. We were heading back to the Academy with Lissa and Christian for an event she would be speaking at, and I was beyond excited to be visiting my old home. Combine that with the fact that Lissa had _absolutely insisted_ that Dimitri and I use the two-day visit as holiday made me a very happy Guardian indeed. Two whole days off with my sexy Russian in the place where it all began sounded like heaven after how crazy our schedules had been this past year.

"Rose!" I heard Lissa call from behind me. I turned around to see my best friend demurely reclined back in one of the leather seats sipping on a glass of champagne. "I thought we agreed your holiday started as soon as we got on the plane." She pointed towards the bottle of champagne and pulled out a second glass, winking at me. I rolled my eyes.

"You know I'm not 21 yet, _your majesty_." She grimaced and I laughed, she really hated that title.

"I won't tell if you won't," she replied, squealing happily as I rolled my eyes again and took the seat next to her.

"You know Liss, you really didn't have to give Dimitri and I this time off. We were more than happy to-"

"Uh-uh!" she interrupted me, "no more of this talk. You and Dimitri haven't taken any time off since you went to Russia like two years ago! I insist." She paused, her eyes flicking to the left. "Speaking of your better half," I looked over in time to see Dimitri enter the plane with Eddie. He looked over to see me reclined on a leather seat with a glass of champagne and gave me an incredulous look. I chuckled. Dimitri's exasperated expressions every time Lissa and I dramatically broke protocol were a source of great entertainment.

Christian arrived back from the kitchen at the back of the plane, carrying a plate containing a sandwich in hand for Lissa.

"Aww!" I fake squealed, "aren't you a good little housewife. A genuine Betty Crocker."

Christian glared at me before a smirk came over his features. "Oh no, Liss. You didn't tell me Fatso was sitting with us, I don't think we packed enough food on the plane." _Oh you think you're so funny_. I stuck my finger up and him, laughing when I caught sight of Dimitri in his guarding position shaking his head in exasperation. Lissa noticed too and called out, "you too Dimitri, you're officially on holiday."

"Yes Rapunzel, let down your gorgeous hair," I called, causing several of the guardians to snicker.

I think for the most part our colleagues were genuinely perplexed by our relationship considering how polar opposite our work demeanours are. The only thing they knew for certain was that if anyone else even tried to make a joke at my Russian god's expense it wouldn't end well. I chortled, remembering the time that Eddie had made the mistake of thinking Dimitri and him were close enough that he could follow suit and join in on my jokes about Dimitri's brooding nature. Eddie had tried on my nickname of Guardian Cranky Pants for size in front of Dimitri. That evening at training Dimitri had handed him his ass so hard the man could barely walk for a week.

Dimitri made his way over to us, pausing before he took the seat next to Christian and opposite me. Even after three years of knowing him, it still genuinely perplexed me that Goliath could fold himself so gracefully into tiny spaces. Mind you, Dimitri made everything look effortless. It was annoying as hell. Lissa smiled happily and pushed a third glass of champagne towards Dimitri.

"Your majesty, I really don't think that's a good-" he pulled up short as Lissa fixed him with a Queenly glare.

"Drink."

I snickered at the sheepish expression on Dimtri's face as he followed orders, lifting the glass gingerly to his mouth.

"Don't just wet your lips with it, comrade." I called sarcastically. "Neck it."

He rolled his eyes at me, "this isn't Jersey Shore, Roza."

Lissa and I burst out laughing at Dimitri's attempt at a pop culture reference, while Christian just looked absolutely stunned.

"That man is spending far too much time with you, Rose." Christian tittered.

Dimitri laughed too, taking a bigger sip although he was clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of drinking in front of his charge.

"Alright you two," Lissa started, giving us both a big smile, "enjoy this time off. If I catch even a second of guarding from either of you I will be _very _disappointed."

"Yes Lissa" we both mumbled like scolded children.

With that the plane took off. I sat back, nibbling on the half of the sandwich that Lissa had shared with me. _Say what you want about Christian, but the man really will make an excellent househusband_.

Lissa, Christian and I chatted excitedly, reminiscing about old times at St Vlads. And when I say old times at St Vlad's, I mean that we reminisced on the various pranks I'd pulled on Stan! I looked over with a smile when I saw Dimitri pull his western out from his duster pocket in an attempt not to look amused by my antics. _Some things never change_.

The wheels touched down with a jolt and Lissa squealed in excitement. Normally I would have a joke ready at her expense for her girly antics, but truth be told I was just as excited. We waited in our seats as the guardians did a quick perimeter check. I shifted uncomfortably, it felt strange to sit back and trust other people with Lissa's safety. One look at Dimitri and I could tell he was feeling the same way.

"Alright," Eddie appeared back at the plane doors and motioned for us to follow. Christian and Lissa moved to the door, Eddie and Guardian Mathews falling into near guard positions beside them. I looked over at Dimitri and gave him a small smile, holding out my hand. "Ready to take a trip down memory lane, comrade?" he returned my smile and took my hand in his.

"Of course, Roza."

We started embarking down the stairs when I spotted her.

"ALBERTA!" I shrieked, dropping Dimitri's hand and flying down the stairs two at a time to embrace my surrogate mother.

She laughed, returning my hug tightly before pulling back to take a better look at me. "Look at you, every time I see you you're so much more grown up! And beautiful as ever." I grinned at her before I saw her eyes flicker behind me.

"Good morning, Guradian Belikov." Her tone was far from hostile but markedly less friendly than it had been a second ago. I suppressed a sigh; poor Dimitri had to have _that_ awkward conversation _three_ times! First with Abe (which he still wouldn't go into detail about), then with my mother, and then, to my horror, with Alberta. Strangely enough (though perhaps lucky for Dimitri) Abe seemed to have come around to our unorthodox relationship the quickest. Whilst my mother and Alberta were no longer openly hostile, there was definitely still the odd snide comment (usually from Janine) or cold shoulder.

"Alberta!" I muttered under my breath, "you promised."

She gave me an irritated look but nonetheless complied, turning to smile at Dimitri. She had once loved and respected Dimitri and I was certain she would again. He was a good man, despite what all the horrible rumours that had circulated said.

I turned to look at Dimitri lovingly as he stood patiently behind me, never phased by all the shit he put up with because he chose me.

"How has life been at the Academy, Guardian Petrov?" he asked politely, placing a hand on my shoulder as I stepped back to join him.

"Same old, same old." Alberta replied, before chuckling as her eyes flickered to me, "Although things are never as exciting without Rose around."

Dimitri chuckled and I scoffed.

"Come off it Alberta, I wasn't that bad!" She just laughed, before raising an eyebrow at Dimitri in question.

"Don't you dare," I muttered under my breath, glaring at him.

Dimitri held up his hands in defeat, "I wouldn't dream of it, Roza. And what would I know anyway? I'm just cheap foreign labour."

Alberta burst out laughing, the ice well and truly having thawed, as I rolled my eyes.

"I hope our accommodation has a nice couch for you, comrade" I joked before skipping off to link arms with Lissa. On my way I passed a very nervous looking Guardian Alto.

"Morning Stan!" I called cheerily, "excited to have me back on campus?"

I heard Alberta and Dimitri's muffled laughter behind me as Stan glared at me. But if I wasn't mistaken, I saw the tiniest glimpse of fear there too.

_Excellent._

Lissa and I chatted happily as we made our way across campus, laughing at all the baby faced kids walking around, openly gawking at Lissa and I. _Had we ever been that young?_

"My speech is not until after lunch," Lissa said. "Did you and Dimitri want to join Christian and I for lunch in our suite?"

"If Betty Crocker's cooking, I'm there." I joked as Lissa slapped my arm.

"I do wish you'd stop teasing him," she cried, but it really lost its effect because she was laughing too.

"Please, Liss. Fireboy gives as good as he gets. Need I remind you? Fat Bastard, Fatso, the Human Vacuum, Augustus Gloop – to name a few!"

She giggled. "Fair point."

"Alright," I changed the topic as we began to approach guest housing. "Dimitri and I will go drop our stuff at Guardian accommodation and then we'll head over to yours in a bit."

"Rose, you're not staying in Guardian housing!" Lissa looked at me like I'd lost the plot.

"Well we're not staying with you! We're not guarding, so the spare rooms will go to Eddie and Celeste."

Lissa rolled her eyes, "Yeah duh, I knew that." _Duh. Very Queenly Liss_, I scoffed internally. "You and Dimitri have your own suite in guest housing."

I stared at her. "Shut up." Before I turned around to yell at Dimitri, "yo, comrade! Did you know we're staying in a _suite_ in guest housing?"

He grinned, saying goodbye to Alberta before jogging up to join us.

"Yes Roza, I pulled some strings."

I groaned, "oh Vlad, you didn't ask Adrian did you? We'll never hear the end of this! That man thoroughly enjoys holding favours over people's heads."

Dimitri chucked, "it'll be fine, Roza. Adrian owes me one."

"Fine," I grumbled, "just know that you sold your soul for a king bed and fancy curtains."

He ignored my antics as we climbed the stairs to our suite, smiling and kissing the tpo of my head as he opened the door and let me through to the suite.

_Sweet mother of Jesus. _

"Point taken, comrade." I muttered under my breath as I spun around and took in the ridiculous level of luxury; this place was just as nice as the Royal accommodation! The suite contained a kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining area, bedroom with a genuinely ginormous bed and _two _TVs? _I bet they get all the good channels too. Hello reality TV and extravagance, my name is Rose._

"Adrian can take an arm _and_ a leg as long we get to sleep there!" I called out before I cannonballed onto the bed. "Look Dimitri, I bet you can even lie out fully stretched on this without your feet dangling."

Dimitri rolled his eyes, "yes, thank you for pointing that out. I suppose being Adrian's cousin does have its perks."

I smiled at him as he sat on the bed, shuffling over so that he could recline next to me and I could rest my head on his chest. I was glad that Dimitri and Adrian had bonded lately; Adrian could use all the family he could get. And I was especially glad that he had found Sydney and Declan. I still felt horrible every time I thought of what I put him through, and it was comforting to know he'd found his soul mate and his purpose in life.

We stayed cuddled like that for a little while, both enjoying the time to just be in each other's company. It was way too few and far between, but we knew the life we signed up to.

"Alright," I sighed, tilting my head up to meet Dimitri's chocolate gaze. "We should head over to Lissa and Christian's. I promised we'd have lunch with them."

Dimitri pouted down at me. "Are you sure? We could just hang out together ... in this big bed."

I laughed at his hopeful expression. "Trust me comrade, we'll have plenty of time for that. I plan to fully utilise this space the next two days. But if we don't go to Lissa, I guarantee she will come to us. We don't really want a repeat of last time do we?"

Dimitri turned the most hilarious shade of beetroot at the memory. On more that one occasion we had decided to get sweaty and horizontal when we were supposed to be otherwise committed. We fortunately both enjoyed very active sex drives. Not so fortunately, Lissa had eventually gotten sick of our constant tardiness and barged in unannounced. And then, to Dimitri's absolute horror, Lissa had commented that that was _quite a man_ I had there.

I chuckled quietly to myself at the memory.

"Don't you dare laugh," he grumbled. "That memory is horrific, and if you bring it up in any way shape or form at lunch I'm withholding sex for a week."

"Please!" I called out as I got up from the bed and headed towards the door, "the famous Guardian Belikov self control has been absent for two years. You wouldn't last an hour."

Dimitri growled playfully, grabbing me around my waist from behind before whispering in my ear. "You're the one who lacks control, Roza. I'll show you how fast you lose yours the second lunch is over."

I turned to meet his intense gaze, swallowing at the promise there.

I quickly grabbed his hand and dragged him to the door. "Let's get this stupid lunch over with. We're in and we're out Dimitri, no excessive chatting!"

He laughed from behind me. "You're seriously worried about _me _chatting? You and Lissa could talk underwater."

I rolled my eyes, but he did have a point. "Well don't get chatty on me now. C'mon."


	3. Chapter 3

Lunch was painful. Delicious, but painful.

As Lissa chatted happily I could practically feel the intensity of Dimitri's gaze on me. It was practically making me squirm in my seat.

I quickly shovelled another forkful of paella into my mouth, determined to get this lunch over with and get back to the suite and that nice big bed.

I practically choked on my food when I felt Dimitri place a hand on my upper thigh, his long fingers sitting dangerously close as they wrapped around the inside of my thigh.

"Maybe if you didn't inhale your food so fast you wouldn't choke at the dinner table." Christian chimed in sarcastically.

Dimitri smirked next to me and I glared at them both as I let out another cough and my eyes watered. Dimitri handed me a glass of water with his other hand, still smirking down at me. _Cocky bastard._

I quickly took a sip, only for his hand to shift up slightly and actually touch _that _spot.

I spluttered on my water, coughing hard again.

"Christ, Rose!" Lissa exclaimed, "what's your problem? You've been jumpy and on edge since you got here."

"Is everything all right, Roza?" Dimitri asked smiling down at me sweetly.

I glared up at him before returning his cheeky smile_. Two can play at that game_.

"Are you excited for your speech, Liss?" I asked, sneaking my hand under the table as Lissa replied and placing it to rest along his upper thigh. I smirked as I felt something under my hand move slightly and Dimitri shifted uncomfortably, his guardian mask firmly in place.

I continued to move my hand slightly as I chatted animatedly with Lissa and Christian. Dimitri was silent and still next to me, but I could feel the effect I was having on him.

"Comrade," I said, looking up at him with a sneaky smile on my lips. "I'm feeling a little chilly, would you mind grabbing my sweater for me?"

Dimitri gave me an incredulous look, knowing full well that his _not so little _problem would be very evident by now. I smirked again as he got up quickly, angling himself carefully as he reached the grab my sweater from where it lay draped over the sofa.

"Thanks," I said, smiling up at him sweetly and placing my hand back on his thigh as he sat back down.

"So what are you guys planning to do with your time off?" Christian asked. There was a slight pause and Christian made a face at my grin and the small blush that had made its way up Dimitri's neck. "Christ," he muttered, "the two of you are incorrigible."

Lissa also made a face before muttering under her breath, "as long as I don't have another front row ticket."

I tried my hardest to hold back my laughter, with only mild success, before taking pity on Dimitri and his look of absolute discomfort as he flushed bright red beside me.

"Oh you know, probably explore the campus a little. Maybe enjoy a spar at the gym for old times sake. It'll be nice to have some time off, thanks again for organising it."

Lissa smiled at us, "Of course, you both deserve a break. You work too much."

"Well whose fault is that?" I replied sarcastically. "You just _had _to go and get yourself elected queen and give us both a big promotion didn't you, Liss?"

She made a face at me and poked out her tongue. "If I'm not mistaken, I have you to thank for that. You couldn't just sit still and do nothing like Abe planned could you?"

"No, she couldn't." Dimitri stated dryly, "and I had the black eye to prove it."

Christian laughed, "I still can't believe I missed that."

Before Lissa continued, "yes, Rose's stubbornness and ability the pull off the impossible are unparalleled. And now I have the absolute pleasure of daily mind numbing royal council meetings." She grimaced at the thought, but I saw a little twinkle of happiness in her eyes.

Lissa liked to pretend that she was unhappy with the turn of events that lead to her election. And I knew to some degree the formalities and the politics did bore her. But I also knew that nothing made her happier than being able to have a voice and make real change in our society. Already under her rule there had been mandatory defensive magic classes for Moroi added to school curriculum, as well as elective offensive magic classes being made available for the more progressive Moroi. Dhampirs had also enjoyed a decent pay rise, funded out of the excessive wealth of the royals they guarded. That one had been a bitter pill to swallow for some, I remembered with a smile. Lissa was a truly progressive thinker. With offensive magic and her continual investigation into spirit and Strigoi restoration, I felt truly optimistic about the fate of our kind for the first time.

There was a knock on the door and Guardian Mathews opened it, chatting quickly to the person on the other side before turning to speak to us.

"They're ready for you, your majesty."

Lissa and Christian stood, bidding farewell to Dimitri and I as we exited the suite.

"Knock em dead!" I called over my shoulder as Dimitri and I headed up the stairs towards our suite.

As soon as they were out or sight Dimitri had me up and over his shoulder, his hands locking over my thighs as I squirmed to get free.

"Let me down, comrade!" I tried in vain to free myself from his grip but Dimitri ignored me, continuing to make his way up the stairs as if I didn't even weigh a thing. I sighed, looking down to see his butt shifting under me with each step. "You know, the view isn't really so bad," I called sarcastically as Dimitri continued to ignore me.

He unlocked the door and entered the suite with his free hand, before kicking the door shut behind him and locking it in one quick movement. Just as quickly, I was suddenly on my feet and pressed up hard against the wall, his lips crushing against mine.

I was all too eager to comply, my legs wrapping around his waist as his hands moved to my butt to hold me in place, squeezing tightly.

I moaned as his lips moved to my jaw, making a trail of open-mouthed kisses to the sweet spot behind my ear before he nipped and sucked at my earlobe.

I moved my hands from their tight grip on his shoulders and slid them along his muscular back, gathering his shirt in my hands. I was struggling to get it over his head when Dimitri suddenly pulled back, both of our chests heaving with our laboured breathing.

"Not yet, Roza."

He pressed his hips into me one more time, smirking as I moaned before placing me down on the ground in front of him.

I pouted at him, "you promised."

He smiled down at me. "We will, I promise," before he leaned down the whisper in my ear, "I thought we could revisit a very special place." His accent was much thicker than usual, causing my stomach to knot at the memory and the promise in his voice as his breath ticked my ear.

I nodded quickly, "okay, let's go."

Dimitri chuckled at my eagerness but nonetheless complied.

"I'll just get our coats and then we'll go," he said, leaning in to brush his lips gently against my forehead.

Dimitri was evidently in no hurry as we made our across campus. For someone with such ridiculously long legs he was moving at an annoyingly slow pace. I tried to hurry up him along a little but Dimitri grabbed my hand, holding me back.

"What's the rush, Roza?" He asked, smirking down at me. I rolled my eyes; the man loved toying with me. As we made our way across campus I stopped short in front of the Dhampir dorms, smiling up at my old dorm room window. Dimitri stopped also, following my gaze.

"How you managed to sneak out of there, I will never understand," he said with a small smile on his lips.

I grinned, "It's easy really. Shimmy down that section of pipe there, hop onto that ledge, grab that branch and get a decent swing, jump to that other branch, climb along and shimmy down the tree."

Dimitri's head shook in amazement as he tried to follow the path I'd just laid out with his eyes.

"Did you ever fantasise about coming to visit me?" I asked suddenly, looking up at him with genuine curiosity. I know it was something I fantasised about constantly. But Dimitri was so closed off early on that I genuinely still had no idea when he started to feel things for me, and how far he would let himself think within the safety of his own mind.

He looked away, seeming embarrassed before answering, "more than I'd like to admit."

I smiled at that, before pulling his hand with me as I continued along the path.

We stopped short again as we walked past guardian accommodation, my eyes wandering automatically to the window of Dimitri's old room. I knew his thoughts were following a similar direction when I felt his hand tighten in mine.

"Did you ever come back for it?" He asked. I looked up at him in confusion and he quickly clarified, "the necklace." He motioned with his eyes towards the shrubbery outside the window.

I shook my head, "I honestly didn't even think about it, everything was so chaotic afterwards that it completely slipped my mind. Did you ever look for it?"

He shook his head slightly, "I tried not to think about it," he admitted, giving a small laugh as he ran his hand through his hair. "I wasn't very successful at that. But I think some part of me was terrified of going near that thing again after what it unearthed in me."

I smiled at him, "I'm glad it did, it was nice to know I wasn't alone in my feelings." I paused, studying the bush slightly; it was terribly maintained and thick with overgrowth. "I wonder if it's still there."

Dimitri dropped my hand, stepping over towards the bushes and leaning down, shifting branches aside to peer inside. Suddenly his arm disappeared inside the bush before re-emerging with a surprised curse from Dimitri in Russian.

"No way!" I exclaimed as he opened his palm to study the necklace. There was no doubt that it was the same one. Dimitri let out a surprised laugh.

"I guess the gardener isn't very thorough."

He stepped behind me, brushing my hair to the side and fastening the clasp delicately at my neck.

He stepped back in front of me to admire his handy work, his eyes darkening as he took me in.

"The sight of you in that necklace again is doing things to me, Roza." He spoke lowly. I shivered at the way his accent thickened and rolled over my name.

I grabbed his hand and started making my way to the woods with renewed vigour.

"Let's get out of here."

We slowed as we approached the cabin, both studying it carefully. It looked exactly how I remembered it and my stomach fluttered in anticipation.

Dimitri stepped forward, opening the door to let me in first. As I walked in I swore under my breath.

"Someone must be saying here," I said, disappointment lacing my words as I took in my surroundings. The bed was made up with a comfortable looking quilt and everything looked wiped down and dust free, despite the cabin's infrequent use. The fire crackling in the corner was the dead giveaway that we were currently intruding on someone's stay.

I suppressed a sigh, taking one final look around and committing it to memory before we would have to leave.

"It's only us here, Roza." I heard Dimitri's voice come from behind me, a smile lacing his words as he added, "Guardian secrets."

I spun around to face him, "how-"

I pulled up short, my hand flying to my mouth in shock as I took in Dimitri in front of me on one knee, before his hand reached into his duster pocket to pull out a small velvet box.

He looked up at me, his eyes shining with love.

"Roza, these past three years have by far been the greatest of my life. Before you came into my life I was alone, I buried myself in work and lived out my days in solitude. The worst part is that I thought nothing of it. I thought that loneliness and duty were all that I could expect from this life. Until you proved to me otherwise. Slowly you broke down my walls, I began finding joy in my days again. I fought it for so long, but I began finding joy in spending time with you." He looked away for a brief second before meeting my eyes again, his eyes burning with passion. "I looked forward to those four o'clock wake ups everyday knowing that I'd get to spend time with you. My only regret is that I fought it for so long, that I wasted time on guilt and duty and that I caused you so much pain along the way." His eyes met mine with remorse and I shook my head with a sad smile, I didn't regret a moment of our journey together, but I knew it still plagued him. "You've brought me back to life twice now, Roza. I don't know what I did to deserve you or how I can ever repay you. You make me the happiest man in the world, you amaze me and you make me laugh everyday. How I managed to find a woman as beautiful, passionate, forgiving and fierce as you still bewilders me, but I have no intention of ever letting you go. I thought it fitting to ask you here, where we shared our amazing first time. Where I decided once and for all that I couldn't live my life without you in it, that I would give up my reputation and my career if it meant having a life with you. Rosemary Hathaway," he paused, sliding the box open to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring encircled with sapphires, "will you do me the extraordinary honour of becoming Mrs Belikova?"

He took a deep breath, smiling at me nervously as he awaited my answer.

But I was genuinely frozen, at a complete loss for words. This had been the absolute last thing I had expected when I walked through that cabin door.

After almost a minute of silence Dimitri cursed under his breath in Russian.

"You're not ready. I'm so sorry, Roza! I didn't mean to rush you. I'd been hinting at it for a while, and you didn't seem as opposed to the idea as you had been before." He looked away in embarrassment and started to get up from his kneeling position.

"Woah, wait," I called out, placing my hand on his shoulder to hold him in place.

He shook his head, embarrassment plain on his features, as he continued, "no I really am sorry, I know you're only 20 and I shouldn't be ru-"

"Yes!" I blurted out and he froze, staring at me for a moment.

"What did y-"

"Yes." I said again, smiling at him timidly.

In the next second I was off my feet being encased in a bear hug over six feet off the ground.

He pulled back to meet my gaze, grinning like a little kid on Christmas. "Say it again."

I laughed, "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

He pulled me into a searing kiss and I lost track of the world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone. I finally figured out how to write A/N's (haha)! I just wanted to say hello and thanks for reading. **

**This is the first story I've ever written so I really appreciate any comments/feedback you have! Also, I'm open to hearing any particular moments you'd like to see. I've had the idea for the first chapter for a while, but the rest I've just been making up as I go - so I'm pretty flexible!**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

I lay back, sighing in contentment as Dimitri pulled me to his chest and tucked the quilt up under my chin. He kissed the top of my head, running his fingers through my locks absentmindedly as my fingers traced patterns in the small patch of hair on his chest.

The weight of the ring on my finger made the movement feel heavier than usual and I pulled my hand in front of me to study it closely again. I shifted my finger back and forth, watching the way the fire crackling next to us danced over the stones.

"You really delivered on the rockstar ring front, comrade." I said jokingly, as I continued to study the stones. It genuinely was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was very classic and timeless, but the sapphires added a wonderfully unique touch. They were a slightly less orthodox choice, which I thought suited our relationship perfectly. We were anything but a traditional couple.

Dimitri smiled, pulling my hand to his lips and slowly kissing each finger, before planting a final kiss on the ring.

"It was babushka's," he explained, pulling my hand back to his chest. "She wanted you to have it... and trust me when I say what a big compliment that is."

I chuckled but raised my eyebrows in surprise. That woman was impossible to please, and I was more than a little surprised that she approved of me enough that she wanted me to have it. Especially considering the fact that she had pretended not to even speak English when she met me! I couldn't wrap my head around that woman, but I was touched by the gesture nonetheless. It was an incredible feeling to be accepted so completely into the Belikov family, especially considering my own childhood.

"I added the sapphires though." Dimitri continued, smiling down at me with the most adorable look of pride on his features. "In an engagement ring they represent absolute romantic devotion," he continued, looking at me lovingly. "But they also symbolise repentance, which I thought was fitting."

I looked up at him in confusion, "you have nothing to repent for."

He shook his head and smiled down at me sadly, "I know you forgave me a long time ago for all the mistakes I've made, Roza. And you know how hard I've worked in order to forgive myself so that we could move on and build a life together. But that doesn't mean that I can't repent and make a commitment to always strive to be better. I could live a thousand years and never deserve your love. You broke every law and quite literally changed the very foundations of our world in your determination to save my soul. I wanted something that symbolised those sacrifices you made, and showed my commitment to being a man worthy of those sacrifices."

I lifted my head slightly and stared up at him in amazement, speechless for the second time that night.

Dimitri always gave such thought to his gestures, and this ring was no exception. He was a man of few words, but his love for me shone through in every little action and considerate gesture. I recalled a day almost two years ago, not long after I had been shot and when I was still not cleared for active duty, where he'd displayed such similar thoughtfulness with a smile.

_I stretched out in the bed, gripping the sheets in my search for my sexy Russian but coming up empty. _

"_Dimitri?" I mumbled, forcing my eyes open and sitting up in the bed in confusion, wincing slightly at the pull in my chest. The man hadn't left my side for a second in the 4 days since I'd woken from surgery, and I know for a fact that he'd been with me even longer before that. Lissa had said he never left my side for more than 20 minutes when I was unconscious in hospital. I know my mother in particular didn't make it especially easy or comfortable for him, but still, he never waivered._

_I was just reaching for my phone to call him when I heard the front door click open and shut. A few moments later I saw Dimitri's form silently opening the bedroom door before he turned to shut it slowly behind him._

"_Where have you been?" I asked, chuckling as Dimitri practically jumped out of his skin._

"_Christ, Roza!" he cried out, frowning when he saw me sitting up in bed, my back resting against the headrest. "What are you doing up? You should be resting."_

_I pouted at him across the room. "I've been resting, comrade. I'm sick of resting."_

_He gave me an exasperated look. "Roza, you were shot! You almost died. We are not still having this conversation. Let your body recover."_

_I groaned. "Uh, fine," before meeting his gaze with a cheeky look and a wink. "Only if you join me."_

_Dimitri chuckled and moved towards the bed, sitting next to me with his back resting against the headboard as he placed a box he was carrying on the bedside table._

"_What you got there, comrade?" I asked, curiously leaning over him to peek at the box._

_He gently pushed me back to a laying position and I sighed. _

"_I can sit you know?"_

"_Humour me."_

_I rolled my eyes. "Humour _me_. What's in the box?"_

_He smiled, turning to meet me gaze sheepishly._

"_They're my stakes."_

"_Did you get them re-charmed?"_

_He nodded slowly before turning to face me completely. _

"_I also got them engraved."_

_I raised my eyebrows at him in question and he smiled at me before turning to retrieve one of his stakes from the box and handing it to me._

_I studied it carefully before finding the new engraving placed at the base of the stake, in a similar position to where mine held its geometric symbols._

_I stared at it, mouth gaping open in surprise as I saw the tiny minimalistic rose etched there._

"_You won't let me marry you yet," he explained with a smile and I met his eyes in amazement. "I had to find some way to show my lifelong commitment to you."_

_I continued staring for another minute before I managed to speak. _

"_Wow, comrade..." I turned to smile at him brightly. "Thank you... I don't even have words."_

_He returned my smile and my heart fluttered in my chest, filled with love._

_Perhaps to a non-guardian the incredible significance behind Dimitri engraving his stakes with a symbol for me would be overlooked. But I understood how incredibly monumental this gesture was. A guardian's stakes are for life. They are a symbol of honour and of devotion to a cause greater than yourself. Guardians often have them engraved as a reminder to themselves as to why they kept fighting. I certainly kept my stakes from Russia as a reminder of the darkest days of my journey and everything that I had fought so hard for. I often found myself tracing the pad of my thumb quickly over the little symbol in the seconds before battle. It served as a reminder of all that I had waiting for me on the other side of this fight, of how I had already fought the impossible and won._

_I traced my fingers over the little rose one more time in wonder, before leaning up to kiss Dimitri gently._

"_I love you."_

_And then, because I'm Rose Hathaway and I always have to ruin the moment, I added, "maybe I'll get a little hammer and sickle."_

_Dimitri let out a little laugh and rolled his eyes. "You know the Soviet Union dissolved 25 years ago."_

_I gawked at him. "Only 25 years ago?" _

_He nodded his head and I burst out laughing. "You were actually alive? I thought that ended like 60 years ago! Oh this gives me _so _much more material to work with."_

_He shook his head in exasperation and raised an eyebrow at me. "We'll have to brush up on your history before we go back to visit Russia. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself."_

_I chuckled and nodded, "you're not wrong, comrade. But what I lack in historical knowledge I more than makeup for in unearthly beauty and incredible fighting skills."_

_He chuckled. "Yes, you give me a run for my money. But not now," he added quickly. "Now, you rest."_

_I pouted, but nonetheless complied. "Only if you keep me company."_

_He leaned down and kissed my hair softly, "I'm not going anywhere."_

I came back to the present still nuzzled against Dimitri's chest and smiling like an idiot. This had been the perfect day. My thoughts continued to wander over the events of today before I suddenly let out a loud groan.

"Oh, Vlad!"

I pulled Dimitri out of his reverie and he looked at me with confusion. I rolled over to face him fully, a panicked expression on my face.

"We have to tell Lissa!" I moaned again and Dimitri looked at me with a puzzled expression. I continued on, "I can feel my eardrums bursting already. She'll be more excited than the two of us combined! Oh god, it's going to be a seven-hour discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of eggshell versus cream.

Dimitri laughed, pulling me close again. "She already knows."

"What! How?"

He shrugged, "I told her. Why do you think she insisted so much on giving us this time off?"

I chortled, "I can't believe she kept a big secret like that so well." I paused for a moment before realising, "well if Liss knows, then Christian already does too."

He nodded. "He's making a meal for us to share tonight."

Dimitri paused and suddenly looked guilty. "Alberta and Adrian know also... and I suppose Sydney by extension." I looked at him incredulously before he explained, "So they could organise the suite."

I raised my eyebrows at him, still annoyed to no end that I couldn't raise just one. "How many people did you tell, Dimitri?"

He blushed slightly and I raised my eyebrows again, waiting for him to continue.

"Well... there's my family, obviously."

I nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"Eddie also needed to know... so that he could set up the cabin. I imagine he's told Jill by now. I also may have mentioned it to a few of the guardians at court in passing. And I had to ask Abe and Janine for permission of course," he grimaced, "that didn't go over so well at first. But they eventually came around."

I stared at him in absolute bewilderment. "There's no one left to tell!"

He chuckled and ran his hand awkwardly through his hair. "I'm sorry, Roza. I may have gone a little overboard..."

I scoffed. "A little? Literally all of our family and friends know!"

He smiled, "at least now you don't have to worry about telling them."

I shook my head in amazement. "Someone was feeling mighty confident that I would say yes."

He frowned slightly at that but shrugged. "I was fairly confident... Although you did leave me hanging for a minute there."

I looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, comrade." I then smirked and added, "I was momentarily stunned. I've never heard that many words come out of your mouth in one go before."

He chuckled, running his hands through my hair slowly as he gazed lovingly into my eyes. "I had a lot to say."

I smiled at him, snuggling back into his chest and letting my thoughts wander over the years that lead to this moment. It was so strange to be back here now, in the place where it all began. It was even stranger still to be back at the Academy and to be able to be so open and public in my affection with Dimitri.

"Who would have imagined we'd be here that day we first met in Portland," I said with a smile in my voice, not moving from my position snuggled against Dimitri.

He let out a little laugh. "Definitely not me."

I slapped his arm playfully. "Are you telling me it wasn't love at first sight?"

He stroked the top of my head slowly, pausing as he thought. "No, Roza." He quickly added, "Don't get me wrong I thought you were beautiful. But I was too wrapped up in my responsibilities to even think like that."

I smiled at that, remembering the quietly lethal force that was Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Once he joined the search for us, Lissa and I never stood a chance.

"You definitely snuck up on me." He continued, and I smiled. "In the beginning you were certainly a handful." We both chuckled at the memory; I'd done everything in my power to make things difficult for him. "You pushed my buttons in ways no one else could... made me lose my cool and collected façade I'd spent years carefully crafting. It was infuriating. It took me a long time to realise that I actually looked forward to it." He stiffened slightly underneath me before he continued on. "When I caught you with Jesse I was taken aback by just how _furious _it made me. I tried to convince myself that it was just because he had disrespected you. Because of how I'd seen my mother and sisters be treated my entire life. But when I realised that anger stemmed from jealousy, I knew I had somehow ended up way overstepping the line. But it was too late... you're an unstoppable force, Roza. I was a goner before I even realised it."

I smiled at that, running my fingers delicately between the contours of his abs.

"It was the same for me too. At first you were nothing more than my captor, the person who forced me and Liss back to the Academy. Over time, I realised just how much of an effect you had on me. You made me want to be a better guardian; you made me calmer and more focused. I thought it was just a respect thing, but over time I realised that your opinion mattered so much to me for another reason entirely." I smiled at the memory. "You left me hanging for a long time though, comrade. I honestly never thought I had a chance in hell."

He laughed lightly as his fingers left my hair and traced patterns along the small of my back. "I hid it well... but trust me, there was never any going back for me. After the night of the lust charm, knowing that you felt the same for me, it made it so much harder to stay away. You were on my mind constantly." He chuckled again before adding, "I don't think I used the hot water tap in my shower for months. It was easier after Spokane, when I decided I would find a way to make it work. It was liberating to not constantly be having that internal battle of wills." He paused, pinching my hip playfully. "You didn't help matters with all of your teasing and low cut tops."

I giggled, smiling up at him innocently. "I have _no_ idea what you mean, comrade."

He rolled his eyes, "It wasn't necessary. I was a goner regardless."

Eventually, my bottomless stomach meant the end of our blissful afternoon in the cabin. Dimitri and I walked back to our suite slowly hand in hand, enjoying the crisp evening air. Christian had messaged to let us know that dinner was ready and being kept warm in the oven in our suite. I had honestly never loved him more than I did at that very moment.

As we entered the suite I let out a little gasp. It was dimly lit and covered in candles, with the dining table beautifully set with utensils and wine glasses. I picked up a little handwritten note on the table written on frilly stationery.

* * *

_Congratulations on your engagement! _

_Please enjoy this romantic meal together as a small token of our appreciation for all that you do for us. _

_Rose – I CAN'T WAIT to hear ALL about it. Be prepared to spare no detail._

_\- Lissa_

_P.s. What do you think of this tablecloth colour for the wedding? I think that a silver, lilac and off white theme would look divine! Can't wait to discuss xxxx_

* * *

I groaned, showing Dimitri the ending of the letter. He just looked at me, completely perplexed.

"Why do we need a colour scheme?"

I rolled my eyes. _Oh you sweet, innocent, naïve man. _"Have you _met _Lissa? Welcome to the next three years of our lives, comrade."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Three years?"

I nodded. "Yeah, how does a nice long engagement sound?"

He shook his head at me in exasperation. "Three years is too long. You're such a commitment-phobe."

I smiled at him sweetly, "Three years, comrade. Take it or leave it."

He just smirked at me. "We'll see, Roza."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again!**

**Ask and you shall receive :)**

**I got a request for more of Abe and Janine's reactions to the relationship. It's a bit out of sequence with what I've been doing, but I've tried to work it in as best I can. **

**Thanks for requesting! I was a bit stuck with what to do next and then _voila_! This came pouring out in a couple of hours. So thanks, I had a lot of fun writing this and I wouldn't have thought to do it otherwise.**

**I'll continue with a more chronological sequence again after this (subject to any requests – so keep them coming).**

**What moment have you guys enjoyed most so far/ are looking forward to seeing most?**

* * *

**DPOV**

I awoke to a light tickling under my nose, looking down to find Roza splayed across my chest, her long hair spread all the way across my torso and up to my nose.

I smiled in contentment, reaching up slowly, so as not to wake her, to gently push her locks out of both of our faces.

I lay there, my mind spinning as I struggled to come to terms with yesterday's events. _I cannot believe that it finally happened!_ I stared down in amazement at the beautiful woman in my arms, her face soft with sleep as she let out adorable tiny snores.

As my mind replayed the perfect events of yesterday I was overcome with just how fortunate I have been. With a shudder, I remembered how close I had come to losing my Roza forever.

Flashback 

I froze, every muscle in my body tensed to react despite the three sets of guardian hands that were locked around me, trying in vain to hold me in place. Tasha continued to hold the gun at Mia's head and I kept my eyes razor-focused on her finger, looking for the slightest indication that she was ready to pull the trigger.

I noticed a small look of resolve shift over Mia. _No, no, no. Don't do anything stupid_. Lissa must have noticed too because in a second she was moving forward.

"Tasha, please don't-"

Mia suddenly kicked back, releasing herself from Tasha's grip. I began struggling against the guardians' hold on me, watching in horror as Tasha's finger shifted on the trigger. I leapt forward, desperate to block her, but Roza beat me to it.

_NO!_

I was too late. I watched in dread as Rose dove, using her body as a shield to protect Lissa. Time stood still as I watched her drop to the ground with a loud thud. There was a second of absolute silence before all hell broke loose.

I stood there, frozen in horror as I watched Roza on the ground, red seeping through her shirt as Lissa scrabbled to the floor, cradling her head in her lap. Slowly, I found use of my limbs again as I stumbled forward, dropping down to her other side. My hands tried in vain to plug the hole in her chest and stop the flow of blood. _There's too much blood_.

Roza's gaze shifted to me, a small smile on her lips. There were a thousand words in her eyes as her mouth opened slightly, trying to convey her message. She only managed to cough up a small amount of blood. I pushed on her chest harder.

"Lissa!" I cried out, looking at the girl as she sat in shock in front of me, rocking back and forth as she cradled Rose's head. "DO SOMETHING!"

By now, Roza's eyes had begun to glaze over, those messages in her eyes fading to nothing. Lissa snapped out of her state of shock, moving her hands to Roza's chest. I held my breath in anticipation when suddenly Lissa was ripped away.

"What are you doing?" she yelled. I looked up to see the guardians who had restrained me earlier picking up Lissa and dragging her away from the chaos. "Let me go!" she screamed, fruitlessly struggling against their iron grip. "I have to heal her!"

I looked around in panic, my hand gripping Roza's hair tightly as I searched desperately for Adrian. But he was nowhere to be found. I considered getting up and fighting the guardians that were dragging Lissa away. _It'll take too long. _I realised with such clarity that it felt like my heart was ripping in two. _I can't leave her to die alone_.

"HELP!" I screamed out, looking around in desperation. But there was no help to be found.

A sob escaped my chest as I gently lifted Roza's head, moving it to my lap as I stroked her face and hair gently.

"I'm here, Roza." I croaked, watching as my tears dripped onto her beautiful face. "Please fight for me. I'm so sorry. Please fight, Roza. I can't live without you. Please... I'm so sorry."

I winced at the smears my bloodied hands were leaving all through her hair and face. _She doesn't deserve to die like this_. All I could do was continue to sob, rocking her back and forth and I caressed her face gently.

I was inconsolable, incapable of words or thought when I was suddenly pushed out the way. I looked up in confusion as paramedics surrounded her. They had her on a stretcher and lifted within a few seconds before they hurried away, carrying my Roza with them.

* * *

I don't know how long I sat there, covered in Roza's blood and staring at my hands in dismay. Eventually Christian found me. He crouched in front of me, lifting my chin to make my eyes meet his.

"Dimitri," his eyes were full of unshed tears. "Rose is in surgery... It's... it's not looking good. But there's a chance. She's a fighter." He gave me a pointed look. "Why don't you wait with us in the hospital? You shouldn't stay here."

I nodded numbly, standing to follow him silently as we made our way back to the hospital.

The second we entered the waiting room doors Lissa was up and in my arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, " I tried to heal her, I really did."

I returned her hug numbly, glancing around the waiting room over the top of her head. Janine was staring at the ground; she didn't even seem to notice my arrival. Abe was next to her, holding her hand tightly and studying me with an unreadable expression. Eddie sat with his head cradled in his hands, looking up to meet my gaze momentarily with a pained look. Adrian didn't shift from his spot or acknowledge my entrance as he sat on the floor in the corner, his knees tucked to his chest as tears silently streamed down his face.

I stepped away from Lissa and joined him, sliding down the wall slowly and continuing to stare at my hands, the blood now cracked and dried. I closed them tightly, shutting my eyes and trying to erase the memory of Roza lying motionless beneath me.

At some point Jill came around, handing out coffee and sandwiches. Everyone mumbled their thanks and picked at their food quietly. I nodded my thanks as Jill approached me, reaching out to grab the cup before Jill gasped in surprise, pulling back.

"Dimitri, your hands!"

I looked down at them in confusion, before remembering that they were still caked in blood.

Jill gave me a sympathetic look. "Why don't you go wash up?"

I shook my head quickly, "I'm not leaving."

Jill nodded, giving me another concerned look before placing the sandwiches and coffee in front of Adrian and I before leaving. I closed my eyes again, willing myself to forget that horrible, faded look in Roza's eyes.

I jumped in surprise a few minutes later when I felt something brush my hand. I looked up to see Jill kneeling in front of me. She grabbed my hands silently and began gently wiping them with a wet washcloth. I watched her carefully as she worked methodically until all evidence of this horrible day was washed away.

"That's better," she said softly, giving me a kind smile.

There was the sound of a throat clearing by the door and every head in the room snapped up suddenly to see the surgeon had returned.

"The surgery went well," he announced as the room let out a collective sigh. "We can't say for certain what will happen next, but she's going to be unconscious for a while at the very least. But she's a fighter, and she's out of the woods."

Lissa buried her face in Christian's shoulder, sobbing in relief. My heart leapt in my chest, feeling the slightest bit of hope for the first time in hours.

"When can we see her?" Janine said, moving for the first time since I'd entered the waiting room.

"You can see her now," he said with a kind smile. I stood automatically and every pair of eyes in the room shifted to me. Most were sympathetic, although Abe's gaze was unreadable and Janine's was openly hostile.

Before anything could be said the doctor quickly added, "but perhaps we'll keep it to just family for now. The rest of you can come back and see her tomorrow."

We all nodded, shuffling towards the door. I left quickly, wanting to be alone if I couldn't be with Roza. I was just exiting the hospital when someone grabbed my arm, holding me back.

I turned around to meet Lissa's concern filled green eyes. "Where are you staying tonight, Dimitri?"

I shrugged, I hadn't really thought about it.

She gave me a sympathetic look. "Why don't you stay with us tonight? We have a spare room, and we can head back together tomorrow to see Rose."

I nodded, falling into step with her and Christian as we silently made our way back to their apartment.

As we arrived, Lissa switched the lights on and pointed me in the direction of my room. I slowly sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing in particularly until Lissa returned a few moments later with a fresh toothbrush and towel.

"Make yourself comfortable." She said with a smile and I nodded my thanks. She paused for a moment, seeming unsure of what to say before she placed a hand on my shoulder. "She'll be okay, Dimitri. I really believe that."

I nodded again and she left.

I showered and prepared for bed, operating fully on autopilot, before I settled in for the longest night of my life.

* * *

When morning finally came we headed over to the hospital, only stopping to buy flowers for Roza's bedside.

When we arrived my heart was beating heavily in anticipation of seeing my Roza again.

As we entered the room my eyes drifted immediately to the small form that lay on the hospital bed with various tubes and machines attached to her.

Before I'd even had a chance to observe her properly my view was interrupted as someone stepped in front of Roza, blocking her from my view. I looked up to meet Janine's fiery gaze.

"What is he doing here?" Her voice was cold as ice as she stared me down. I stared back just as hard. As formidable as Janine may be, I would not let 5 feet of misplaced maternal instincts keep me from my Roza. When no one said anything Janine continued on. "You have some nerve showing your face around here."

"Janine," Abe warned. "Remember what the doctor said. We want good energy in the room. And it's good for her to see loved ones."

Janine scoffed. "Yes, loved ones. Not some statutory rapist who took advantage of her."

Everyone in the room visibly flinched as the words left her mouth. I had my guardian mask on, but inside I was seething. She knew nothing of my relationship with Roza! Hell, she hardly even knew her daughter at all. Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to know that speaking my mind right now wouldn't have the desired result. I just wanted to see my Roza.

"You can think what you want of me, Janine," I stated coolly, working hard to keep my voice even. "But I love your daughter. I would never take advantage of her. I just want to see her and make sure she's okay."

Janine rolled her eyes, looking ready to go in for round two before Abe pulled her to the side. The two of them had a hushed conversation before Janine let out a loud huff.

"Fine!" She exclaimed before she stalked past us, glaring at me. "You have five minutes."

As Abe followed her out I wasted no time, rushing to Roza's side and kissing her softly.

Lissa's voice came from behind me. "Are you okay?"

I gave a small smiled, not moving my gaze from Roza's unconscious form. "I'm fine."

All too soon, Abe and Janine returned. Lissa and Christian stood, awkwardly bidding their farewell. I stood also, running my hand gently over Roza's hair one final time and ignoring the icy glare I could feel on my back.

As Lissa, Christian and I exited the room I paused, pulling up a chair outside.

Christian looked at me questioningly. "Aren't you coming with us?"

I shook my head. "I'll stay here for a while."

Lissa smiled kindly at me. "Good luck. We'll be back. In the meantime," she pulled out a little key and handed it to me, "use our place whenever you need."

I smiled in return, thanking them before they headed off, undoubtedly for some royal business after the news we had uncovered about Jill.

I sighed in frustration as I settled in to wait, wishing more than anything that I could be in there with Roza but knowing that it would take time.

I decided to pass the time by placing a long overdue video call home. I'd brought my laptop as well as several books with me in anticipation of a long stay by Roza's side.

I messaged mama and she replied quickly, letting me know that they would call me in 15 minutes. I sat back, pulling out a western to pass the time.

When my laptop signalled an incoming call I answered it quickly.

"Dimka!" four women simultaneously exclaimed when the screen connected. I let out a small smile, it had been too long and I missed them dearly.

"How are you going?" Mama asked, looking at me warmly.

I opened my mouth to reply only to come up short. "I..." A sob broke out of my chest and I looked away in embarrassment.

There was shocked silence on the other end for a few moments, none of the women knowing how to react.

"Dimka, what's happened?" Mama's voice was panicked now as she took in my distraught expression.

"Its... its Roza." I squeezed my eyes shut, holding in the tears. "She's been shot."

There was a collective gasp from the other end before I continued on. "I... I think she's going to be okay. But I don't know. She's out of surgery but still unconscious."

There was a surprised murmur from my family at the news before babushka suddenly interrupted, looking annoyed.

"Roza will be fine, stop whining. The girl has fire. She will fight and live a long life."

I stared at her knowing gaze for a moment before I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Perhaps many would call me crazy, but if babushka said Roza would be fine, I trusted that more than the opinion of any doctor.

"See, Dimka," mama smiled at me happily, "Roza will be fine."

I grinned at my family, seeing the relief I felt mirrored in their expressions.

"You and Roza better come and visit the second she's better!" Vikka called out. "Roza is much more fun than you, I can't wait to see her again." She added with a smirk before laughing and continuing, "and I'm sure we can convince her to stay for a long time through the promise of mama's cooking."

I smiled shaking my head. "I forget you've all met her sometimes."

Mama gave a sad smile. "She's a wonderful girl, Dimka. You've done well. We all adore her."

My sisters nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can't believe you almost messed it up." Sonya scolded. I glared at her before she continued. "We were trying to be nice and give you your space, but I was this close to flying to America to smack you up the head myself."

"Sonya!" Mama cautioned. "Dimka went through something terrible. He just needed some time."

Sonya rolled her eyes but refrained from commenting further. I continued glaring, but I realised I was mostly angry that she was right. I had been an idiot, and it had cost me precious time with Roza. I would never make that mistake again.

There was a brief pause before babushka suddenly chimed in.

"That girl is too good for you. Marry her before she realises it and it's too late."

I stared at her, my stomach dropping in dread as her words sunk in. _Roza might leave me?_

Mama looked at babushka in horror, before scolding, "Mama! Roza is not going to leave Dimka. You said yourself they are soul mates. Why would you even say something like that?"

Babuska shrugged before she looked at the screen again, smirking at my panicked expression. "Fine, you're right. Roza will never leave you." A feeling of relief washed over me before babushka continued. "But hurry up and marry her, boy. She will delay if you don't push her, and I want to be alive to see my great-grandchildren." I stared at her incredulously as she went on. "Young people these days take too long to marry, I was married after only four months. You're 25 Dimka, not a young man. Only spinsters get married in their 30s."

I heard muffled laughter from Sonya, Viktoria and Karolina as mama continued to look at babushka in horror.

"What do you mean great-grandchildren babushka? Even if we adopt they won't be related to you." My heart fluttered slightly at the thought of Roza and I adopting children together and starting a family.

"They'll still be grandchildren to me," mama added kindly, giving me an affectionate look. "I'll love them just the same."

Babushka gave me an odd look but didn't comment further, proclaiming that she was tired and wanted to go to bed.

I bid my family farewell, promising to call them again soon. I had just begun to pull out my western when I felt a presence behind me.

I turned to find Abe leaning against the doorframe, wearing the same indecipherable look he'd worn since I arrived at the hospital waiting room.

After a moment of what I could only describe the most intense eye contact of my life, he spoke.

"Janine and I will be heading home shortly to rest. We won't be back for a few hours at least." I nodded in response before he continued. "You should be by her side. It will be good for her. I'll handle Janine. Between the three of us I'm sure we can work out some sort of system so that Rose always has company."

I nodded again. "Thanks. I don't plan on leaving though. If I have to sit in the hallway while you have your time with her though that's fine with me."

He gave me another intense look, observing me closely.

"Like I said, we'll figure something out." He suddenly smiled slightly, the expression sending shivers up my spine as he added, "and when Rose is better we'll have a nice conversation. We should get to know each other, don't you think?"

I suppressed another shiver, fighting to keep my expression neutral. The amazing thing about Abe is that he didn't even need to make threats. He'd said nothing outwardly threatening, but it was there in the look in his eyes. This was far from over, even if he was showing some leniency now.

I shoved down my unease before replying. "I look forward to it, Abe."

He gave a small smirk, nodding slightly before disappearing back into Roza's room.

A few minutes later Abe and Janine emerged to head home. Janine made a big point of not acknowledging my presence in the slightest as she stormed past me. Abe followed behind her, turning to give me a bone-chilling smile before he continued on his way.

As soon as they were out of sight I was by Roza's side, grabbing her small hands in mine and kissing them softly.

"Hello, Roza." I murmured, leaning forward to kiss her forehead lovingly. "Thank you for fighting. I don't know what I would have done otherwise." My voice cracked slightly on the last word. I pulled up a chair by her side, gripping her hands tightly. And there I stayed. I'd go home to quickly shower and eat when Abe and Janine visited. If they were still there when I got back I would wait patiently in the hall, reading a western. Janine never said anything else to me, choosing to ignore me completely instead. Abe would just give me that same knowing look, occasionally making comments that were polite for all intents and purposes, but it was hard to ignore their sinister undertone.

I ignored them both, focusing all of my energy and attention onto my Roza. She was going to be okay, and I would put up with much worse than anything Abe or Janine could throw at me if it meant staying by her side.

End flashback

I was pulled out of my reverie by the feeling of Roza stirring slightly, shifting around on my chest as she slowly woke.

"Mornin' comrade," she mumbled.

I smiled, picking up her hand to plant a little kiss on her ring. "Good morning, _fiancé._"

She groaned, rolling her eyes as she looked up at me. "I hate that word," she said, making a face. "It's so... douche-y."

I chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. "Douche-y?"

She nodded, smiling up at me sweetly. "Perhaps you don't have a term for it in the motherland. It means obnoxious in the worst way. Think Guardian Alto."

I laughed again, shaking my head in exasperation.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked, quickly changing the topic before she could think too much of Stan. The last thing I needed was her pulling _another _prank and me having to talk Guardian Alto down from a very angry ledge.

She paused, thinking for a moment before she grinned up at me. "How about we continue our little trip down memory lane?" I gave her an inquisitive look before she continued. "Let's spar."

* * *

**PHEW! I found Dimitri's perspective hard to write from – he's such an enigma. What do you think?**

**I enjoyed writing babushka; she has to be my favourite character! I love that she just drops cryptic, brutally honest truth bombs and then waddles off!**

**I will add in the 'talk' that Abe and Janine had with Dimitri in the next chapter via another flashback. I promise it will be lots of fun ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again!**

**Thanks for all your lovely reviews; I love reading that people are enjoying my stories :) **

**So, I have basically written the flashback to Dimitri's 'talk' with Abe and Janine, but this chapter was WAY too long when I included it and it didn't really make sense swapping POV's halfway through. SO I'm going to do it in the next chapter instead. Sorry to keep you waiting, but at least you get this snippet quicker than expected in the meantime!**

**I hope you enjoy :) **

* * *

**RPOV**

"Let's spar."

Dimitri grinned at me. "That sounds perfect, Roza."

We were quickly up and dressed, me shoving a couple of doughnuts into my mouth to sustain me as Dimitri shook his head in exasperation and whipped up a quick smoothie. _Health freak._

As we were getting ready for the gym I quickly pulled off my ring, studying it closely. I unclipped the simple Dragomir symbol necklace that Lissa had given me when I was appointed as her primary guardian and slid the ring onto it before refastening the clasp.

As we made our way to the gym Dimitri grabbed my hand, smiling at me happily. He pulled up short when he felt the smoothness of my finger.

"Where is your ring?" he asked, his expression turning panicked as he frantically looked at the ground around us. "Was it too big? Did it fall off?"

I chuckled. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, comrade. It fits just fine." I said as I held up the ring from where it sat on my necklace.

"You took it off?" A hurt expression came over his features that tugged at my heartstrings.

I quickly explained. "I don't want it to get damaged. I thought when I'm training or working I could wear it here."

"But then when will you wear it?" He looked at me, seeming offended. "We're always training or working."

I shook my head. "I'll wear it, Dimitri. I promise. But I don't want to damage it or lose it."

He still looked at me with an unhappy expression but decided to drop it. I sighed as we made our way to the gym. I hoped Dimitri wouldn't think too much into this.

We entered the gym and I took a deep breath, sighing in contentment. This gym had become like my second home during my time at the Academy. It was the place where I could escape; and of course, it was the place where I could be with Dimitri.

I dropped to the floor to do my stretches as Dimitri walked over to the sound system, hooking up his phone and fumbling around with song choices before pressing play.

I smirked when the opening beat to 'we will rock you' came blaring through the speakers.

"Nothing from this century today, comrade?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood with some of our old banter. "Were you even alive when this came out?" I grinned before adding, "Never mind, this is probably still on the freshest hit charts in Russia."

He shook his head at me in exasperation as he made his way over to the sparring mat. "Music was better back then. Much better than the new crap you listen to."

I let out a loud laugh. "Why do you always talk like you're 100 years old?"

He just looked at me, blank-faced. "Enough talk. Show me what you've got." He lifted a finger slowly, beckoning me towards him.

I grinned, quickly jumping to my feet to join him on the mat, taking a defensive stance.

We started circling each other slowly, each waiting for the other to make the first move. I, of course, got impatient and pounced, leaping full speed at Dimitri in an attempt to knock him off balance. He deflected my move easily and I cursed under my breath before falling back and returning to my defensive stance.

Suddenly, Dimitri charged at me, faking to the right before he struck out a harsh blow to my left shoulder. I fell back for a moment, glaring at him as I rolled out my shoulder and felt it grind in protest. _Oh, it's on_.

I dropped low, using Dimitri's insane height against him as I charged at his legs and knocked him off balance. Dimitri stumbled slightly and I used that momentum against him, striking out quickly against both his shoulders before landing one final kick to his thigh.

He groaned, dropping to the ground as I leapt on top of him, working to keep him secure as he struggled underneath me. Finally, I managed to fasten his hands with my knees, using my weight and my feet to keep his legs in place.

I smirked at him, panting heavily as I simulated my blow.

"Dead."

We stayed like that for a long moment, eyes locked and breathing heavily. He looked at me with an expression of pride and I was suddenly transported back to the time I had beat him in his simulated attack in the cafeteria, where he had looked at me with the same pride-filled and lustful expression.

"_Déjà vu, _comrade?" I asked, leaning closer to press my chest flush against his.

His eyes lowered to my cleavage and darkened as he let out a low growl.

Suddenly, I was on my feet and being dragged towards the storage room, the door slamming shut behind me.

Within seconds Dimitri was on me, lifting my shirt and sports bra and attacking my breasts with open-mouthed kisses. I moaned, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his waist to help counteract some of our height difference. He complied, holding me tightly before my back knocked against the wall and I was held in place by the force of Dimitri's body against mine.

He halted his assault on my breasts, pausing slightly before he began kissing and sucking at my neck. I groaned, pulling him closer.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to do this then," he growled against my neck and I shivered at the thought. "I fantasised about this constantly."

"What did you want to do, comrade?" I replied teasingly. He met my gaze, staring at me with hunger clear in his eyes. He stepped back slightly, putting me down and yanking my tights down in one fluid movement. I eagerly complied, kicking my sneakers off and pushing my tights off my legs completely until I was half-naked before him.

He lifted me again, pushing me back against the wall as his hands lowered and he shoved his track pants and briefs down.

In one quick motion, he was inside me and I gasped out, clinging onto his shoulders for dear life as he took me furiously against the wall.

There was a sudden bang and Dimitri stilled inside of me, quickly shoving his hand over my mouth.

I rolled my eyes, that man was so paranoid. It was probably someone just passing through. But apparently he was right to be paranoid because a moment later we heard a familiar voice call out.

"Rose? Dimitri? Are you guys in here?" There was a pause and the sound of a door opening that sounded like Lissa was checking in the bathroom next to us. "Christian and I wanted to invite you to lunch."

Dimitri looked at me in horror, before he whispered, "Please tell me this is not happening again."

I shook my head in amazement. "It's like she has a built-in Rose and Dimitri sex-radar..." before I quickly called out, "Yeah Liss, one sec - we're coming." I smirked at the double meaning and Dimitri shot me a warning look that screamed _don't you dare!_ "We're just putting some equipment away," I added quickly, laughing silently as Dimitri visibly sagged in relief.

We quickly got dressed and Dimitri shot me an appreciative look as I smoothed his hair that had become ruffled in the course our activities. A minute later we exited the storage room looking fully presentable, save for Dimitri awkwardly holding his duster in front of his sweatpants!

Lissa shrieked, running full speed towards me before she catapulted into my arms. "Congratulations!" She squealed, jumping up and down whilst still gripping me tightly, causing me to jolt around spastically.

I turned to look at Dimitri, giving him a quick _I told you so_ look before returning my gaze to Lissa as she pulled back. "Thanks, Liss," I said, smiling at her.

"Let's see the ring!" She exclaimed, quickly grabbing my hand, before pulling up short and grabbing my other hand in confusion. "Where is it?"

I quickly unclipped my necklace, sliding the ring off and trying to hand it to Lissa, who was suddenly giving me a suspicious look.

"Rose, why aren't you wearing it?"

I shrugged, "I'm not going to wear it while I'm fighting. I could lose a stone or something."

Lissa continued looking at me dubiously, "but you will wear it otherwise, won't you?"

I shrugged again. "Yeah, when I'm not training or working, I'll wear it."

Lissa stared at me incredulously. "Rose... you're always training or working. And if you're not doing that then you're just at home! What's the point?"

I snorted, "Jeez, Liss. You're painting me out to be some sort of workaholic spinster." _Which really, save for having Dimitri, I probably am_, I thought dryly.

Dimitri smirked next to me as she reiterated his point and I rolled my eyes.

"Do you want to see the ring or not?"

Lissa squealed, all her questioning forgotten as I grinned in victory, placing it in her hand. "Oh!" she yelled out. "It's so beautiful! You did an amazing job, Dimitri." She smiled at him warmly and he returned her smile.

It was a lovely moment. And then my stomach growled.

"Sooo... Lunch?"

Lissa burst out laughing. "Fine. But don't think you're off the hook about wedding talk just because you're eating. C'mon let's go."

Lissa quizzed me excitedly the entire walk back to guest accommodation, _oohing _and _ahhing _loudly as I told her all about the proposal in _great_ detail.

As we approached the suites I held up my hand to Lissa, stopping her mid-sentence.

"Okay, we're going to go shower. We'll meet you back at your suite for lunch. I _promise_ we can talk more then."

She nodded excitedly, squealing and giving me another tight hug before she skipped off towards her suite.

I grumbled as we made our way up the stairs. "This is all your fault. Can't we just marry in secret? I can't believe I'm going to have to sit through _hours _of that."

Dimitri just laughed as we entered our suite, heading to the bathroom to strip off and shower.

I was just stepping under the warm spray when I felt Dimitri's mammoth presence behind me.

He leaned down, whispering in my ear. "You know, most women enjoy talking about engagements and diamonds and weddings."

I smirked, turning to face him. "I'm not most women, comrade."

He growled playfully, pressing me up against the shower wall to continue where we left off in the storage room. "Don't I know that..."

* * *

Half an hour later we were on our way to Lissa and Christian's suite, me dragging my heels the entire way while Dimitri looked at me with amusement.

Before we approached the door I quickly retrieved the ring from my necklace, sliding it onto my ring finger.

Dimitri smiled at me affectionately, "that's better."

I let out a little laugh. "Well, I'm not planning on punching anyone tonight. So I think we should be okay."

I was just raising my hand to knock when the door suddenly flew open.

"You took long enough!" Lissa exclaimed as she shooed us inside to a very excited Christian.

He stood up, quickly making his way over to us as he grinned. "Congratulations guys!" Before pulling us both into tight hugs. He pulled back from me slightly. "I can't wait to hear all about it!"

I groaned. "What happened, Sparky? You were supposed to be on my side! Where's all your snarkiness and sarcasm?"

He rolled his eyes. "Shut up and roll with it, Rose. Or I'll start squealing like Lissa."

Right on cue, Lissa let out a loud shriek when she caught sight of my hand.

"You're wearing it! Let me see it again!" She grabbed my hand and pulled it roughly in front of her face. "_OOHH, _it's SO beautiful! I'm so happy you're wearing it. Christian, come look!"

My stomach growled again loudly and I was met with three pairs of amused eyes.

"Cows must envy your five stomachs," Christian said, smirking at me.

"Watch it, Fire Boy, or I might eat you."

Christian chuckled and I was glad he'd stopped fangirling over my ring.

"Shall we eat?"

Lissa nodded, motioning for us to sit at the dining room table where Christian had laid out various meats and spreads for sandwiches. I stared at it happily, my mouth watering in anticipation.

I'd just finished making my first sandwich and was ready to shove it into my mouth when Lissa turned her attention to me.

"So when are you guys going to get married?"

I shrugged, taking a massive bite and swallowing loudly. "I dunno, in a few years. What's the rush?"

Dimitri huffed next to me and Lissa sat frozen, mouth gaping open.

"You're going to make me wait to be your maid of honour for _three years_?"

I suppressed an eye roll. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

After lunch, Dimitri and I were packing to head back to Court when my phone buzzed. I dropped the clothes I was shoving into my duffle bag, chuckling at Dimitri's horrified expression as he walked over and neatly began folding them. _Neat freak. _The message was from the Old Man, asking if Dimitri and I would like to join him and my mom for a celebratory dinner at Court tonight.

I looked up in surprise, studying Dimitri. "How well exactly did my parents take you asking to marry me?"

He looked up at me, a confused expression on his face. "Surprisingly well... your dad at least. Your mother just looked like she had resigned herself to her fate." He added with a chuckle.

"Well, they're taking us out to dinner tonight to 'celebrate'. Although it may just be Abe dragging my mom along by the sounds of it."

Dimitri looked surprised but then suddenly grinned. "Do you really think they're coming around now that we're getting married, Roza?" He looked at me hopefully and I smiled. _It would be nice not having to constantly monitor my parent's behaviour like they were naughty children_.

"Let's hope so, comrade."

He strode over to me, encasing me in a big bear hug. "I'd be with you regardless, Roza." He mumbled into my hair, before chuckling and adding, "but it would make family Christmases much less awkward."

I snorted at the image, trying to picture my eccentric mobster father and hot-tempered and argumentative mother having a nice Christmas meal with the Belikov family.

"We can't show Olena the family she's getting married into," I scoffed. "She'll run away screaming." Dimitri chuckled and I continued on. "I'm honestly surprised you haven't yet."

He cupped my cheek, giving me a loving look. "If Abe pointing a shotgun at me couldn't scare me away, I'm not going anywhere."

I froze, looking at him in horror. "WHAT?"

* * *

**A little taster of the 'talk' for you ;) hahaha I'm so evil.**

**What do you think of Rose's reaction to being engaged? I'm worried people won't be happy with me because she doesn't seem that excited. To me though, Rose isn't much of a girly-girl and she's very practical and self-sufficient. I always imagined Lissa and Dimitri being much more (outwardly) excited than her (even though she obviously loves Dimitri very much). What do you think? **

**Let me know if you hate it because I envision a similar sort of thing for Rose's pregnancy later!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello!**

**Here it finally is!**

**A little reply to a comment on my last chapter: I agree it's stupid that Dimitri and Lissa seem so offended that Rose won't wear her ring when she's working, so I thought I'd explain my reasoning.**

**I think Dimitri is still a little self conscious, I mean he's been wanting to marry Rose for two years and she's still dragging her heels a bit. I think he worries deep down that he doesn't deserve her after everything. Which is silly because she is still very young, but I think there is a bit of deep-seated insecurity there. Dimitri is one of my favourite characters of all time, but he's not perfect and I think we see in the books that he does have a tendency to be highly self-critical and slightly irrational at times (don't hate me haha).**

**As for Lissa's reaction, I don't dislike Lissa as a lot of people seem to. I do, however, think that she can be a little airy and that she often doesn't appreciate that Rose's work is incredibly dangerous and not at all glamorous. So I think it's a little hard for her to wrap her head around the fact that Rose wouldn't wear her ring when she's newly engaged as she doesn't see that practical side to things.**

**What do you think? **

* * *

**DPOV**

I looked in the mirror, carefully adjusting my hair in its tie so that it was pulled back neatly. I stepped back, taking in my reflection in the mirror to make sure that everything was precisely in place. I'd chosen to wear something nice, but not too formal - opting for dark jeans and a white button-up and boots, as well as my duster. I suddenly felt nervous that I would be underdressed as I called out.

"Roza, are you sure the website said smart casual?"

"For the hundredth time, yes!" She called back, before jokingly adding, "although it did say strictly no dusters allowed."

I shook my head, chuckling as I headed to the living room couch, pulling out my western as I waited for Roza to finish getting ready.

She emerged 20 minutes later, looking breathtaking in jeans and heels and a red, off the shoulder top with her long hair cascading down her back.

"You look beautiful," I said as I stood, grabbing her hand and kissing her ring softly.

"You're wearing your ring," I smiled before adding dryly, "does that mean no fights with Janine tonight?"

She snorted, "God, let's hope so."

We made our way to the restaurant slowly, enjoying the sun that accompanied the Moroi night as we walked. I was a little uncomfortable with the restaurant choice. Whilst there was no segregation in our society, I was very aware of the fact that this was an upper-class restaurant and that a vast majority of its occupants would be Moroi. Combine that with Roza and my's controversial relationship and my infamous status following my restoration and we were sure to get more than a few stares.

We entered the restaurant and I was relieved to see that we'd dressed appropriately. Whilst the restaurant was clearly very high end, it was a more hip and trendy vibe than some of the stuffier and more formal venues.

I approached the _maître d'_, smirking when he flinched slightly as I requested a booking under the name of Abe Mazur. He led the way to a table in a secluded corner of the restaurant and I was relieved to see that we were the first to arrive.

I shifted uncomfortably as he took our coats and pulled out our chairs. I had never been in a place this lavish before as a guest and I looked at the various guardians lined against the walls in unease. It didn't escape my notice that we were the only Dhampir guests.

As we sat, Roza looked at me sympathetically. "Everything okay, comrade?"

I smiled, brushing my thumb over her hand where it sat on top of the table. "I'm fine, Roza."

I didn't want her to feel like I couldn't handle myself in these situations, so I made a conscious effort to relax my posture despite the various sets of eyes I could feel on us as we awaited Abe and Janine's arrival.

A few minutes later, Abe and Janine were escorted to our table.

'My darling daughter!" Abe exclaimed, pulling Roza into a tight hug before turning his attentions to me.

"Evening, Belikov. I do believe congratulations are in order. You are one lucky man."

He gave me a pointed look and I nodded in agreement as I stood, shaking Abe's hand and smiling politely at Janine.

"Well," Abe continued, "This is an occasion that calls for champagne." He nodded to a waiter, who returned a minute later with a very fancy looking bottle. I didn't know much about the finer things in life, but I did know that _Veuve Clicquot_ was something that would never be within my price range.

The waiter poured us each a glass and we toasted.

"To family," Abe said, smiling.

Janine didn't make eye contact with me, but at least she knocked her glass against mine rather than outright refusing. _Baby steps, Dimitri_.

As we were settled in at the table Abe asked to see the ring. Roza complied, holding out her hand for him to examine.

He studied it closely for a moment. "It's a lovely ring. You've done well, Belikov," he stated, before giving Janine a pointed look.

"Yes," she mumbled, her eyes never meeting mine.

As we scanned the menu, I tried very hard not to notice the monstrous price tag on each of the dishes.

Rose had no such reservations as she exclaimed, "Christ, Old Man! Even the entrees here are the cost of my weekly paycheck. And I'll probably have to order three of them because they'll be stupidly small."

He just smirked. "Good thing you're not paying. Order whatever you want."

"That's a dangerous offer with Rose around, Abe," I said dryly, causing him to burst out laughing.

"Perhaps it is," he said, still chuckling. "But that's okay. I've got 18 years of spending that I'm still trying to make up for."

As the night went on Janine relaxed slightly, joining in on the conversation as Abe excitedly told stories from his overseas travels. I was taken aback by the extreme shift in Abe's behaviour. It was strange to see him behave so charmingly after my first few extremely unnerving encounters with him.

With a shiver, I recalled the day that Abe had decided to have our little 'talk' about my intentions with his daughter.

Flashback 

I sighed with relief, rolling out my neck and shoulders as I clocked off of my shift to head back home. It had been a painfully long day; Christian and Lissa had had a full day of meetings trying to get their defensive and offensive magic programs launched. It was a painfully slow process, met with resistance from council members at every stage. It took a lot sometimes not to shake my head in exasperation, _did they not realise that Dhampir numbers were fast dwindling? _Something needed to change, and fast. But alas, many royals had grown comfortable with the ways of our society. Which I supposed was easy to do when you were the ones benefiting.

I was walking back to Roza's apartment (which I should really just call my apartment because I hadn't spent a single night anywhere else) when an SUV with tinted windows suddenly screeched to a halt in front of me.

The door slid open to reveal a stony-faced guardian.

"Belikov," he said, motioning for me to get inside, "Mr Mazur has requested your presence."

My stomach knotted in anticipation as I slowly stepped forward and entered the vehicle.

I texted Roza letting her know that I would be late and not to wait for me to eat as we drove, leaving the confines of Court and taking a long deserted road through dense woodland.

I studied the trees carefully; trying to stop the steady wave of dread that I could feel rolling off my body, knowing full well that Abe would be able to sense it.

When we finally pulled to a stop we got out of the car and I followed the guardians as they led me to a secluded clearing in the trees. There Abe stood, his arms crossed and a big smirk on his face as he stood next to a _huge_ pile of assault rifles.

I swallowed and quickly put my guardian mask firmly in place as he greeted me.

"Ah, Belikov, so nice that you could finally join me. I've been looking forward to this chat." He smiled coldly at me, studying me in the way a predator watches its prey.

I nodded, working to keep my expression calm as I stepped towards him, pulling up short when he suddenly bent and picked up an AK-47.

He let out a sharp laugh. "Don't be afraid, boy. This is just for target practice." I eyed him sceptically but nonetheless continued until I was standing before him. "Beautiful guns, aren't they..." he mused, his eyes regarding me coolly. "And if I'm not mistaken, they are a Russian invention?"

I nodded slowly before confirming, "Avtomat Kalashnikova. That's what AK stands for."

There was an uncomfortable pause as he continued to regard me, studying me closely.

"Well... enough chit-chat." My stomach dropped in anticipation as he continued, "Let's take a look at all the things that have happened to my daughter since you came into her life, Belikov."

I nodded, looking around uncomfortably as I took in my surroundings. We were in the middle of nowhere, and, save the three guardians hovering stony-faced behind us, there was not a single soul in sight.

Abe adjusted the gun in his hands before turning to face the forest and squeezing one eye shut as took aim.

"Let's start with the most obvious one, shall we?" He said, before continuing on, "at some point, my daughter was involved in an inappropriate relationship with her teacher. " I swallowed as he continued, "_While _she was still a minor."

He paused, firing a shot at a clay target and hitting it with a crash before he continued.

"She then drops out of school to go on a suicide mission _hunting Strigoi_ in _Russia_."

I shifted nervously as he fired again, hitting another target squarely on centre with a loud bang.

"Then," he continued, his voice getting progressively louder which each statement, "she breaks a crazed criminal out of a maximum-security prison."

I flinched slightly as he fired another shot with a loud _bang_!

_"Then," _he continued, almost yelling now, "she is framed for murdering the Queen."

Bang!

"She is almost _executed_."

He fired multiple shots, a couple of bullets shooting off a nearby tree in an erratic fashion.

"Then_, _she is _shot_ by your CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND!"

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!

I flinched again as he turned, pointing his gun squarely at my chest. He stepped forward until I felt the sting of the cool metal as it pressed against me.

"Am I missing anything?"

I shook my head, swallowing loudly as I stared down at the barrel before looking back up to meet his cold gaze.

I swallowed again, fighting to remain calm. _He wouldn't really hurt me, right? He wouldn't do that to Roza_. I took a deep breath, working up the nerve to speak.

"Nobody regrets the pain that Rose has been through more than me, Mr Mazur."

His head shifted slightly to the side as he watched me. "Is that so?"

I nodded again. "If I could take all of it back, I would." He looked surprised for a moment before I quickly continued, "other than being with Roza of course. I won't be made to regret that."

He was quiet for another moment, considering my answer. Suddenly he leaned down again, picking another gun from the pile and handing it to me. "Show me what you've got, boy," he smirked, his gun never moving from its position pointed directly at my chest.

I picked up the weapon slowly, turning to face the forest and taking my aim.

Abe smirked next to me as I fired, not hitting any of the clay targets he had set up throughout the trees.

His face dropped when he heard the thud as my bullet hit a small bird in the distance that he hadn't even noticed.

I began to take aim for another shot, but held my fire at the sound of slow clapping behind me.

Abe's expression turned annoyed before he spoke slowly, "Janine." He turned to face her with a cold expression, clicking on the safety and placing his gun on the floor. I followed suit and turned to face her. "What are you doing here?" He said in an irritated tone. "I thought we agreed that I would handle this."

She smirked at him. "Clearly you're doing an excellent job. What a tremendous idea to try and intimidate a Blood Master Seven with your 'gun skills'."

Abe's eyes narrowed at her mocking tone, the two locking eyes in an intense battle of wills. I shifted uncomfortably before Abe suddenly held up his hands in defeat. "Fine," he nodded stepping back, "he's all yours."

I swallowed as Janine was suddenly in front of me, fists clenched and shaking in anger as she began her interrogation.

"How could you let this happen? I've heard of you, Belikov, I know your reputation. You're not the sort of man to do something this stupid."

I returned her gaze, considering my answer carefully. "I don't know what to tell you, Janine. I didn't expect it to happen... it just did. And as for my reputation... I don't care. If it means being with Rose, I'll take whatever people have to say. I won't lose her."

She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "How long was this going on while she was still your student?"

I shrugged, genuinely unable to answer that question. "It's hard to say... it snuck up on me. I fought it for a long time."

Janine paused for a moment before she continued to come at me relentlessly, firing question after question about my feelings for Roza and when exactly they had developed.

But somehow it was Abe watching quietly from the background that unnerved me the most. I was used to Roza's passion and fire, I knew what to expect and how to handle it. And, as much as either woman would resent my pointing it out, they were very similar in a lot of ways. But Abe was calm and calculated. I honestly had no idea what he was capable of or when he would strike. The name Zmey suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

"Did you ever kiss her?" Janine asked suddenly and I paused, meeting her gaze steadily. I wouldn't be made to feel ashamed of my feelings for Roza. I wasn't some creep; she was the love of my life.

I nodded once, never breaking eye contact with Janine as she stared at me in outrage. "It didn't happen often. But yes, there was the occasional kiss."

Her gaze darkened as she tilted her head to the side slightly, scrutinizing me.

"Did you have _sex_?" She practically spat out the last word.

I shifted uneasily, my gaze lowering to study my feet. This was the question I had been hoping, perhaps naively, to avoid. I'm not sure which was worse. I mean, I guess it was slightly more comforting not having a crazy mobster pointing a gun to my chest... but honestly...not by much. Abe stood behind Janine, reclined casually against a tree as he watched our exchange with amusement, but there was a small glint in his eye as he awaited my answer.

Janine stood in front of me, arms crossed and expression furious as I raised my eyes to meet her gaze once again.

"Once," I replied, working hard to keep my voice and gaze steady. "We fought it for a long time, but it did happen once."

Abe's gaze darkened slightly at my answer and Janine let out a sharp laugh. "_Once_?" she shook her head, staring me down. "Well once is enough isn't it? Enough to make what you did _very_ illegal. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't report you to Hans the second we're back at Court."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Go ahead, Janine," I said, calling her bluff. "See if your daughter ever speaks to you again."

She glared at me. "Is that a threat, Belikov?"

I shook my head slowly, never breaking eye contact. "Not a threat, Janine. Just the truth. I said it in the hospital and I'll say it again. Think what you want of me, but I love your daughter. I fought it for a long time; I was disgusted with myself that I fell in love with my student. But I won't be made to feel ashamed anymore. I've come close to losing her twice now, and I won't make that mistake again."

Janine and I continued to stare at one another, our eyes locked.

Suddenly, Abe stepped forward, coming to stand directly in front of me. "You better really love my daughter, Belikov," He said, his voice low and menacing. "I'd hate to have to return to Baia prematurely. Olena is a lovely woman, and I don't want to have to pay her and your sisters a visit."

My stomach dropped as I looked into the eyes of The Snake. "What did you just say?"

He gave a chilling smile. "Remember who I am, boy. Hurt my daughter and your life won't be easy. You have no idea what I'm capable of when it comes to her. It makes my other... activities... look like child's play."

I stared at him, my blood boiling as I took in his cold smirk. "Never," I stepped forward, moving so that we were almost chest-to-chest, glaring down at him in fury, "threaten my family again," I spoke slowly through gritted teeth, my chest heaving in my effort to remain calm.

We stood like that for a moment until Abe suddenly smiled, all traces of that chilling expression gone as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure we won't have a problem." I was still seething when he grinned and added. "Welcome to the family."

I stared at him, stunned, while Janine gawked at him disbelievingly.

"That's it?" She turned to fully face Abe, her anger shifting wholly in his direction. "This relationship will ruin everything our daughter has worked for! She'll never be taken seriously if we allow this to continue!"

Abe shook his head in annoyance before he turned his attention to Janine. "I couldn't give a shit what those stuck up royals have to say about my daughter. As long as she's happy and safe, that's enough for me." His voice lowered slightly as he continued on. "You let what others think get in the way of your happiness once, Janine," he said, giving her a pointed look, "don't push our daughter to make the same mistake."

End of flashback

I continued watching Abe carefully as I came back to the present. He was still chatting animatedly, and Janine had finally fully joined in on the conversation. She was smiling fondly as he explained his unfortunate run-in with a mother bear in Russia. I watched as Abe's eyes shifted towards Janine as he told the punch line and their eyes met. If I wasn't mistaken, there was a touch of affection in his gaze.

I looked towards Roza, my eyebrow raised in surprise. However, Roza didn't seem to notice the exchange, was too busy nearly falling off her chair in laughter.

_Hmm_. I couldn't help but wonder the extent of Abe and Janine's involvement when they had Roza all those years ago, and whether that affection had continued throughout the years.

I was brought out of my reverie when Abe suddenly exclaimed, "Now enough about me. Let's talk about the couple of the hour. When can I expect to walk my lovely daughter down the aisle?"

Roza and I shared a quick glance and I quickly jumped in, "That's yet to be decided, Abe."

Rose rolled her eyes at my statement. "Dimitri here would have me catapulted down the aisle tomorrow if he could."

I scoffed, firing back at her, "and Roza would break the record for the world's longest engagement if she could."

Abe raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused. "Trouble in paradise?"

* * *

**What do you think? Is it a bit weird that Abe comes around so quickly? I'd think most fathers wouldn't come around**_** ever**_** to an older man in a position of authority sleeping with their underage daughter! I'll explain my thinking a bit here. **

**In my mind, Janine and Abe were in love. But when Janine got pregnant she worried for her and her daughter's reputations and didn't want to be associated with Zmey. I think she is quite conservative and image-conscious (which you can see a lot of in VA) and she broke Abe's heart when she left and took their daughter.**

**Abe, on the other hand, doesn't care for the politics of the Moroi world, which is why he dabbles in**_** other**_** interests! I think he has studied Dimitri, and that his calm and collected demeanour reminds him of himself. So when he sees Dimitri and Rose... he sees himself and Janine 20 years ago. Therefore, it doesn't matter to Abe that their relationship is 'inappropriate', he only is concerned with whether Dimitri loves his daughter enough to make her happy and keep her safe. Once he sees that completely devoted and protective side to Dimitri, he's sold.**

**Janine on the other hand... She cares deeply about Rose's reputation and is just as stubborn as Rose – so she won't come around easily!**

**What do you think? Does that make sense, or do you think I should have made Abe the tougher nut to crack?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! Sorry it's been a bit of a wait, - I've been super busy with grad job interviews and uni work. **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a bit fluffy and I've run out of things to do with this timeframe so I will probably jump forward a bit to more exciting stuff next chapter!**

* * *

**RPOV **

As I held my guarding position against the wall of the council meeting room I suppressed a sigh. This week had felt so much longer after two days of vacation at the Academy. It was made even worse by the fact that Christian had been away for the past five days checking on the progress of one of his offensive magic programs. That had meant five days with no Dimitri, and I was missing him like crazy. Even if we hardly had any time off together, I usually at least saw him when Lissa and Christian met up throughout the day, and we almost always found time to have dinner together. I missed tucking up to him every night; our bed felt too big and cold without his presence.

I looked at Lissa in pity; I could see that today, in particular, was taking its toll on her too. It had been a brutal day of meetings and she too was missing Christian. After what felt like an eternity, Lissa finally stood, causing everyone at the table to fall silent in an instant.

"I think its best we reconvene another day." She said, looking exhausted and slightly irritated before she added, "clearly we're not getting anywhere."

With a mumble the council members stood and slowly made their way out, Lissa visibly sagged in relief when they were out of sight.

She motioned me with her head and we both headed back towards her apartment. As we made our way through the Court grounds Lissa let out a groan.

"Honestly," she complained, looking at me in annoyance, "those people will be the death of me. Heaven forbid I try and make life in our society better for the majority of my people."

I agreed, shaking my head in exasperation. "They're just a bunch of old men who would rather live out their last days in comfort. They know they won't have to deal with the consequences when the Dhampirs die out or give up on the cause. You've just gotta keep fighting them."

Lissa let out another huff as we approached her apartment door. I did a quick sweep before I nodded for her to enter, motioning for the far guards to stay outside and guard the door.

Lissa kicked off her shoes and pulled her hair into a messy bun as soon as we were out of sight, padding into the kitchen and returning with a family size block of chocolate and a big bag of Cheetos.

I raised my eyebrows at her as she flopped to the couch, patting the space next to her.

"Liss, I've still got an hour left of my shift."

She opened the bag of Cheetos and wafted it in front of my face. I suppressed a moan. _God damn that cheesy artificial goodness._

"I won't tell if you won't," she said, echoing her words from the plane to the Academy.

I chuckled and flopped on the couch next to her, being sure to keep my ears peeled for any potential danger as I relaxed next to her. I took a massive handful of chips and shoved them in my mouth, smiling in contentment.

Honestly, guarding Lissa was a lot of work, especially now that she was Queen. But in moments like these, she was just my best friend again. I still had to stay alert, but it was nice to just hang without the pressures of formal guarding. I knew she felt the same and enjoyed these moments of normalcy where we could be Rose and Lissa again.

Lissa sighed again, nibbling off a bite of chocolate.

"Only 2 more nights until Christian's back," I said, trying to lift her mood.

She smiled at that, downing a few Cheetos. "Are you excited to see Dimitri again?"

I nodded and grinned like an idiot. "Yeah, I miss him." Before I scoffed, "Vlad, when did I get this cheesy? It's not even been a week!"

Lissa giggled, "You're in love... you're _engaged_!"

I groaned. "Don't remind me."

Lissa shook her head in exasperation. "I don't get you, Rose. You said yes! Why aren't you more excited?"

I shrugged. "I've never been the girl that dreams about her wedding, Liss. I said yes because I love Dimitri, and I want to make him happy. I personally don't feel the need to rush...but I do want to marry Dimitri. I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't."

She grinned, turning fully towards me with her knees to her chest. "I _knew _it. Deep down you are soo excited about this."

I rolled my eyes. "We are not going overboard. If I could get away with jeans and a Vegas wedding without you wringing my neck with a wedding dress I totally would."

Lissa looked at me, looking mildly repulsed by the idea and I chuckled.

"Let me plan it, Rose," she whined, giving me puppy dog eyes. "I promise I won't go overboard. I'll even consult you every step of the way."

I scoffed, "_you_ not go overboard?"

She batted her eyelids, smiling at me pleadingly.

I groaned. _I was so going to regret this_.

"Fine," I muttered under my breath.

"Yay!" Lissa squealed, bouncing up and down on the couch. "Now if we can just move it a little closer. Three years is so far-"

"Nope," I interrupted quickly, holding my hand up to her. "Three years is my minimum. No negotiations."

She grumbled and I smirked, grabbing a row of chocolate and munching on it slowly as I thought.

If I was totally honest with myself, I was excited to marry Dimitri. I didn't need a big fanfare, but I was excited to be tied to him in every possible way. But I didn't want to be a 20-year-old bride. As much as I hate to admit it, I didn't want it to be yet another thing to add to the repertoire of scandal and gossip associated with my name. I shook my head in annoyance at the realisation. I was being a coward.

Lissa and I chatted until about a couple hours after my shift had finished, discussing wedding ideas that I actually wasn't _totally_ opposed to and her discussing her dream wedding. I suppressed a laugh and the complete level of detail she had everything planned to. _Good luck with that one Christian. _It was nice to spend some quality one-on-one time with my best friend. Even though we spent every day together, we hardly ever got to hang out like this. It was just like old times.

When Lissa suggested I spend the night I agreed eagerly; it would be nice to have some company.

We ordered pizza and she leant me some pyjamas before we tucked into bed, flicking on a movie and snuggling up.

It was a chick flick, some dumb movie about a group of girls in college, but it was mindless and I didn't mind it. We were about halfway through the movie when Lissa suddenly paused it, turning to face me.

"Do you ever think about what would have happened if Dimitri never found us? If we'd stayed on the run in Portland?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think about it sometimes. Mostly I can't believe we got away with it for as long as we did. I'm so thankful we never ran into any Strigoi. I didn't realise just how _not _ready I was."

Lissa nodded, considering my answer for a moment before she whispered. "Sometimes... sometimes I miss it. I mean don't get me wrong," she added quickly, "it was totally stupid and unsafe. But we were... _free_." She looked away, lowering her gaze before she continued. "Sometimes it feels like the pressures of this life will suffocate us. It was nice to just be two young girls for once. It felt like we didn't have a care in the world."

I nodded in agreement, contemplating her words deeply. It was a simpler time, living in the human world. In hindsight it was incredibly dangerous, I knew that now that I'd encountered the Strigoi first hand. But there were times when I missed it too. I suppressed a sigh.

"You weren't meant for an ordinary life, Liss," I said quietly. "And I was meant to protect you. That's my duty, and I wear it proudly." I said, fingering the little Dragomir symbol around my neck. "Those are our lots in life. There's no point dwindling on what could have been."

She sighed but nodded. "I know."

I turned to face her fully. "You're not unhappy, are you? I know it's a big responsibility... but I thought you enjoyed it to some extent."

She gave me a small smile. "I do enjoy it, I swear. It is a big responsibility and the council don't make it easy for me, but I'm proud that I can change people's lives for the better. Sometimes I just wish we lived in a simpler world." She nodded towards the screen and I smiled. "It would be nice to be an ordinary girl every once in a while."

A gave a small laugh. "Liss, you're the most extraordinary person I know. You never stood a chance."

She scoffed, "Coming from you."

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "I'm not the one with the power to change our world for the better. Don't forget that. We're all rooting for you."

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a smile. _Only one more night until Dimitri's home_.

The day at work dragged with more council meetings, but Lissa seemed to be tackling them head-on with renewed vigour. I have a small smile from my spot behind her, knowing that our chat last night had reminded her of why this job was so important.

I clocked off after Lissa returned home and slowly made my way back to my apartment without any real enthusiasm. I hated going home to that big empty place.

As I fumbled with the keys and kicked the door shut behind me I pulled up short. Noises were coming from the kitchen and there was the unmistakable scent of bacon cooking wafting through the hall.

I peeked around the corner slowly in confusion before letting out a squeal that would put Lissa to shame.

"Dimitri!" I ran up to my Russian god and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss. He returned my kiss, pulling me firmly to him with his arms around my waist.

I pulled back, looking at him in confusion. "What are you doing here? Did I get the dates wrong?"

He shook his head, planting a kiss on the tip of my nose. "No, Christian finished up early. I thought I would surprise you."

I grinned before resting my head against his chest. "I'm glad you're home, comrade."

I felt his lips brush against my hair and I sighed in contentment as we stood there, enjoying each other's presence. However, not even my comrade could keep me distracted from the smell of bacon for long.

I pulled back, leaning around him to sneak a peek in the kitchen. "What are you cooking?"

He chuckled; leading me over to the kitchen to look in the various pots he had out. "See for yourself."

I looked into the pots and let out a little moan, my mouth instantly salivating. "I can't believe you're making me carbonara! Last time I requested it you called it heart disease on a plate!"

"Well it's a lot of cream and bacon... but you love it. And I love you."

I gave him a loving look. "You're too good to me. Do you need any help? I was going to shower before I ate."

He shook his head, stroking my hair tenderly. "You go and freshen up, Roza. This is pretty much ready."

I gave him another kiss and hurried to the shower, eager to get that bacon-ey goodness into me as soon as possible.

After a record short shower by Rose Hathaway standards, I emerged to find that Dimitri had set the table with our bowls of pasta and a bottle of wine.

"This sure beats the night of takeout and _Real Housewives_ that I had planned, comrade." I said, giving him a wink as I made my way over to the table to join him.

As I took a seat, Dimitri poured me a glass of wine. I smiled at him in thanks, raising my glass to cheers his.

"To my beautiful fiancé," he said as our glasses clinked.

I rolled my eyes. "How many times have I told you not to call me that, comrade?"

He laughed lightly, "Sorry Roza. I just like saying it."

I smiled at him, "How was your trip? I hope it was more exciting than council meetings have been."

"Unfortunately not," he said, taking a big forkful of carbonara. "I am impressed though. The number of Moroi interested in offensive magic is much higher than we anticipated."

He raised an eyebrow when he saw me carefully picking out my mushrooms. "Roza, if I have to eat this much cream and bacon then you have to eat some mushrooms! They're good for you."

I made a face. "They're a _fungus_."

He shook his head in exasperation. "You must be deficient in so many vitamins. What if I want to share a long, healthy life with you?"

I glared at him for a moment, never breaking eye contact as I stabbed one of those icky, slimy, brown _fungi _and shoved it into my mouth. I made a face as I chewed. "It's even more disgusting than I thought it would be." He rolled his eyes at my dramatics before I continued. "Tell you what, comrade. Next time I'll eat a vegetable for you." He smiled, but looked at me sceptically before I added, "_But_ it has to be either fried or cooked in something super buttery and delicious.

He just chuckled. "You should be a thousand pounds. But instead, you look that _that_." He said, his eyes raking down my body.

I smirked. "I had myself a good personal trainer."

After dinner, I insisted on clearing up while Dimitri picked a movie. I was pleased when he picked a very fast-paced action one. They were always much better than the chick flicks that Lissa insisted on.

Twenty minutes later we were snuggled up on the couch and were mostly finished with the bottle of wine. I sat curled up on the couch, tucking into Dimitri's side as he rested an arm around me, pulling me to him.

We were about halfway through the movie when Dimitri suddenly spoke. "I was thinking later tonight we could ring mama and the girls. They'll be excited to speak with us about the wedding."

"You're thinking about that _now_?" I asked incredulously, motioning with my eyes towards to absolute carnage that was happening on screen.

He smiled at me sweetly, leaning in to slowly kiss my lips. "Can you blame me? I'm excited to marry the most beautiful woman in the world."

I smiled at him, patting his cheek as he pulled back. "We can call your family. But there's not going to be any wedding stuff to plan for a while."

He frowned slightly next to me. "Roza, they're not going to like that. They're eager for you to become an official part of the family."

I shuffled on the couch, turning to face him fully. "God, they're expecting us to get married soon, aren't they? And you haven't told them I want to wait."

He smiled at me innocently. "I wanted to give you a chance to change your mind before you upset them unnecessarily."

I scoffed. "Nice guilt trip, Dimitri. Very subtle."

He turned to face me fully, the movie completely forgotten as he placed his hands on either side of my cheeks, holding my face firmly in place. He leaned forward very slowly, his lips barely brushing against mine. My eyes fluttered open to see Dimitri's chocolate ones peaking up at me through a curtain of long, dark lashes. "Please, Roza," he whispered against my lips.

I swallowed and shook my head, too afraid to speak, knowing full well that my voice would give away how close I truly was to caving when he looked at me like that.

He leaned in, kissing me tenderly. I held back a moan. _The things this man could do to me_. He intensified the kiss, one of his hands moving to grip my hair as his tongue dominated my mouth. I let out a groan, grabbing his shirt and pulling him to me before my hands tangled in his hair. He gently pushed me back on the couch, hovering over me as his hands began to roam my body. He pulled back slightly, leaving a trail of kisses across my jawline and down my neck. He nibbled at it gently before he whispered again. "Marry me, Roza."

"I already said yes." I managed to pant before his lips were back to crushing mine. I clutched at his back, pulling him as close as humanly possible as my legs wrapped around his waist.

He pulled away again, kissing the sweet spot behind my ear before he whispered, "Don't make me wait."

I shook my head again, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Six months," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I could hear the smile in his voice. _That bastard. _He knew he had me.

I shook my head again, fighting against the fog that threatened to take over all rational parts of my brain when Dimitri was kissing me. "Two and a half years."

I felt him shake his head next to me, his lips returning to mine. His hand snaked behind my back and pulled me tighter against him. I let out a moan against his lips.

"Please," he breathed against me.

"Two years," I panted, reaching my hands under his shirt to grip at the skin of his back. He pulled back and I opened my eyes, staring at him in frustration. "Get back here, comrade."

He smirked, looking down at me. "One year."

I shook my head in exasperation. "You're incorrigible... One and a half years. That's my final offer."

He studied me for a moment longer before his face was overcome with the most adorable joyous smile.

"Deal," he said before his lips came crushing back against mine.

* * *

**Not the most exciting chapter I know, but I hope you enjoyed nonetheless! I think in the next chapter I'll skip more to the wedding preparations and bachelor and bachelorette party and the likes!**

**Please don't forget to review and let me know any suggestions :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello again **

**Thanks to everyone who has left suggestions! I haven't forgotten you – I'm just trying to work things in seamlessly so it fits with the flow of the story.**

**Someone mentioned that they thought my version of Rose was coming off selfishly and that she is not considerate of Dimitri's feelings. That's definitely not my intention at all. Rose is one of my favourite characters ever - she's so strong and funny and cool. The reason I had her so hesitant and wanting a long engagement is because she is so young! I'm 23 and have been with my partner for over 4 years but I'm still nowhere near ready to get married (even though I love him very much). Rose is 20 - that's the only reason she's delaying, not because she doesn't care about Dimitri's feelings. I think Dimitri understands that too. He's with a woman 7 years younger than him and they are in very different stages of their lives so he has to compromise and expect to wait a little longer than he may like until she is ready. I personally don't think it's selfish to not be ready and I'm certainly not trying to portray her badly! I'd like to hear what you all think though because it's definitely not my intention and I hope a lot of people aren't feeling that way. **

**We have a jump forward! I had fun writing this, I hope that you enjoy.**

* * *

**RPOV**

1 year later 

I woke up with a start to the sound of thumping and some _very _loud hiccupping.

I groaned, rolling over to check the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 4:30!

The intruder suddenly let a loud "shhh". I rolled my eyes. _Who are you shushing? Yourself?_ I flicked the lamp on, fairly certain of who my intruder would be.

I froze when I caught sight of Dimitri, steadying himself against the doorway and wearing the most ridiculously tiny cowboy hat I had ever seen. _Dear sweet lord. This is the best moment of my life. _

I burst out laughing, literally in tears before eventually managing to choke out, "How is that thing even staying on your head?!"

He grinned from ear to ear, pointing to some straps fastened around his chin that I hadn't noticed before. I laughed even harder. _Thank you, Adrian. _I knew it was a fantastic idea to put him in charge of the bachelor party.

"Sorry I woke you, Roza," Dimitri whispered ridiculously loudly. He came over to give me a kiss. As he approached he stumbled, knocking over the glass of water I had sitting on the nightstand.

Dimitri swore in Russian, fumbling to pick it up and then trying to mop up the puddle with his hands. I rolled my eyes, "Not very dexterous this evening are we, comrade?"

I watched his futile attempts to mop up the water _with his hands_ for another minute, chuckling, before I took pity on him.

"Alright, comrade, time for bed. Don't worry about that, I'll clean it up."

He smiled, reaching up and touching my cheek with a soaking wet hand. "Спасибо. ты удивительный."

"You're welcome. And I agree, I am amazing." I said, still chuckling as I got up and helped him over to his side of the bed. I gave him a gentle nudge and he fell face-first into his pillow. I chuckled again before starting to remove his shoes.

"You're amazing, Roza," Dimitri mumbled from where his face was pressed up against the pillow. He suddenly rolled over, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me close. "So amazing." His words were slurred and his breath reeked of vodka. "And beautiful... I'm so lucky."

I suppressed another eye roll, for a man so _huge_ Dimitri could not handle his liquor! "Had a good night, did you?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "We went to a cowboy bar! I even got to ride a big fake bull!" He gave a cocky grin, "I stayed on longer than anyone else."

I laughed, "I wish I could have seen that! Adrian does know how to throw a party." I stroked his hair back from where it had fallen in his face. "I'm glad you had a good time."

He nodded again, still smiling. "The best."

His head fell back after a moment and within ten seconds he was snoring. I snickered, grabbing my phone to snap a few pictures of him in that ridiculous hat. _Oh, this is going to be so much fun_.

I finished getting him undressed and tucked him in, which was no easy feat with someone the size of Dimitri! I grabbed him a glass of water and some painkillers for when he woke, being sure to place it far enough out of reach to prevent a repeat of the glass getting knocked over.

I quickly mopped up the mess before tucking back into bed, smiling to myself. _Best night ever_.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of dry retching and suppressed a groan. I got out of bed, bringing a glass of water with me as I made my way to the bathroom. I entered to find Dimitri curled up in the foetal position with his head resting near the bowl.

"Not as young as you used to be, hey comrade?" I said, smirking down at him.

He just groaned beneath me, sitting up slowly and taking the water from me with an appreciative smile.

"I'm sorry about last night, Roza. Was I really loud?"

"You definitely weren't stealthy." I chuckled, remembering him trying to mop up the water wearing that stupid tiny hat.

Dimitri grumbled. "I'm never drinking again."

I chuckled, "I might have to request it. It was highly entertaining."

He grimaced, reaching for the toilet again. "I don't want to know what I did."

"That's probably for the best," I said, smiling before I added, "What's your hangover food of choice?"

He grinned at me enthusiastically. "I would love some black bread. And a cheeseburger... the greasier the better."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. A _cheeseburger_! What about heart disease? And diabetes? And all the other illnesses you love to blame my favourite foods for."

He smiled up at me sweetly, "Special occasion."

I smirked but nonetheless complied. "Coming right up."

As I turned to head out I heard Dimitri mumbled behind me, "You're amazing."

I turned around and blew him a kiss, "I know, you told me _several_ times last night."

I stopped off at the Russian bakery first, knowing that they were extremely popular and often sold out. I then headed over to the only fast food joint at Court to pick Dimitri up his greasy burger and a little something for myself. _When in Rome_.

I let out an incredulous laugh when I saw Sonya and Sydney waiting for their orders.

"Burgers for breakfast, huh?" I said with a smile.

Sonya chuckled, "I think we're all here on hangover runs for our guys. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Lissa and Jill here at some point too."

"How did they pull up?" I asked, getting way too much enjoyment out of the guys' pain.

"I found Adrian passed out face down and fully clothed on the couch this morning. I'm counting it as a win."

I snickered. "It definitely could have been a lot worse."

"Mikhail stumbled in at about 3 o'clock," Sonya laughed. "He's definitely a little bit worse for wear this morning. How did Dimitri pull up? Mikhail said he had quite a night! And that he broke the record for the mechanical bull?"

I chuckled, "Oh, he sure did. But that's not even the best part..." I pulled out my phone to show them the photos of Dimitri passed out in his tiny cowboy hat. _He is going to kill me_. It was worth it. Sydney and Sonya lost it.

"Oh my God!" Sydney cried, doubling over in laughter.

I wiped a tear from my eye; it was still just as funny as it was last night. "Remember to thank Adrian for that for me. You guys no longer need to get me a wedding present."

Sonya was still chuckling before she added, "We shouldn't be so hard on them. It will be us in their positions tomorrow."

"I hope you're ready," I laughed. "I'm sure whatever Liss has planned for the bachelorette party is going to be _extremely _over the top."

"I'm so excited," Sydney said. "I haven't had a crazy girls night out before."

I winked at her. "You better hydrate and rest up today then Syd. Tonight we're popping your cherry."

* * *

As I returned to our apartment I found Dimitri curled up on the sofa sleeping, a Western movie playing in the background. I strode over, opening the fast-food bag and wafting it under his nose.

He stirred, smiling up at me. "That smells so good."

I smirked, "All the greasy goodness at your service. I also got you fries."

Dimitri moaned, snatching the bag from me and opening it to dig in. He stared at it for a second in confusion.

"There's enough food in here to feed an army."

I smirked, "Well, I wasn't going to forget about myself. This is a rare opportunity where Dimitri Belikov approves of fast food. The second burger, fries and the nuggets are for me."

He shook his head in exasperation but complied, taking his food and handing me back my feast.

I settled in next to him on the couch and he shifted, tucking the blanket around me as well.

I got working on my burger, moaning when I took the first bite. "God," I mumbled between mouthfuls, "I forgot how damn good fast food is. I'm lifting your ban."

He chuckled. "Fine, you can have it every now and then. If you eat your vegetables."

I rolled my eyes, "Thanks, dad... Okay seriously, how are you watching _another _John Wayne movie? I didn't know there were even this many - it never ends!"

He smiled. "We can watch something else if you'd prefer?"

I shook my head. "Nah, they're kind of growing on me."

Dimitri smiled again, leaning in to kiss my temple. "Thank you for looking after me, Roza."

I chuckled, "It's my pleasure. But I would like to remind you that I'll be in your shoes tomorrow and I want this exact treatment."

"Deal," he said, pulling me closer as we continued to eat and watch cowboys in the Wild West.

* * *

I took a final look in the mirror, sighing in contentment. It had been a perfect lazy day of movies and food and cuddles. And now I was going to spend the night with all my favourite girls!

I hadn't gone with anything too dressy, just jeans and a really cute top. We weren't going anywhere too elaborate; we decided to keep it to one of the bars at Court because the amount of security detail we would need to take Lissa anywhere outside was borderline ridiculous.

I emerged from the bathroom to find Dimitri still perched on the couch reading.

"I'm off, comrade," I said, leaning down to give him a kiss.

"You look gorgeous, Roza," he said with a smile, before adding, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

I smirked, "After your performance last night, I don't think that leaves a whole lot."

He laughed, kissing me again and smacking my butt playfully. "Have a great night. I love you."

"Love you too." I blew him a kiss and headed out the door to meet the girls.

I froze when I entered the bar. _Holy shit, Lissa. You have outdone yourself_.

"HAPPY BACHELORETTE PARTY!" Everyone screamed and I looked around in amazement. Lissa had rented out a section of the bar and it was _completely _decked out in pink and balloons and streamers... and _dear lord, is that a pile of penis cookies?_

I burst out laughing as Lissa ran over to hug me, placing a big veil and sash over me and handing me a Jell-O shot.

"Drink." She said, grinning at me, "You're already behind."

I chuckled and downed the shot. It was surprisingly delicious. "Yum! These are going to be dangerous aren't they?"

Lissa nodded, winking at me, as she dragged me over to the girls.

Sydney, Mia, Sonya, Jill and Charlie, one of the few other female guardians I worked with, had all made it and I was so glad. I winked when I saw Jill.

"Aged a year, have we?"

She looked around nervously but smiled. "So far no one's noticed."

They all hugged me excitedly before Mia handed me another shot. I grinned and downed it, picking up a penis cookie and inspecting it carefully.

"Please tell me Sparky baked these," I said laughing and Lissa rolled her eyes, laughing too.

"... He might have. Okay, girls!" Lissa called out, getting everyone's attention. "First item on the agenda! Everyone get your shots ready."

We all shimmied onto the couch, lining up a ginormous tray of Jell-O shots and giggling.

Lissa pulled out a piece of paper, waving it around dramatically. "On this piece of paper... I have a very rare insight into the _ever-elusive_ mind of Guardian Dimitri Belikov!"

A few of the girls called out and whooped and I laughed, this was already amazing. Lissa had outdone herself.

"Dimitri has answered some questions for us about our dear friend Rose. We have to guess what his answer is. Get it wrong... and DRINK!"

We all cheered, and I burst out laughing. "They are going to get so drunk!"

Lissa nodded in agreement, winking at me. "Why do you think I picked this game?" Lissa grabbed some notepads and pens from beside her, handing them out to us all. "Write your answers down. No cheating! Rose, don't say your answer until last. First question... What is Dimitri's favourite characteristic of Rose?"

There was a pause while everyone quickly wrote down their answers. I smirked, feeling very confident in this one.

"Okay!" Lissa called out, "Everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded and Charlie called out, "Tits!"

We all burst out laughing and Lissa let out a very unqueenly snort. "Anyone else for tits?"

Everyone shook their heads, still laughing. "Charlie," Lissa called out, pausing for dramatic effect, "You are... WRONG!"

"Damn," Charlie called out sarcastically, grabbing a shot and downing it.

"What else have we got?"

Several people called out eyes and Sydney called out hair.

"I'm with Sydney," I said with a smirk, "It's got to be hair."

Lissa did a dramatic drumroll on top of the table. "It's... HAIR! Sonya, Jill, Mia – drink!"

They downed their shots quickly and Lissa continued. "Okay, next question! What article of Dimitri's clothing would Rose like to burn?"

There was a unanimous cry of "Duster!" before anyone even needed to write anything down.

Lissa laughed, "I don't even need to look at the answer for this one. It's definitely the duster. Next question: What was Dimitri's first impression of Rose?"

I chuckled, calling out, "Pain in my ass?"

Lissa snorted but shook her head. "You're wrong, Rose – drink! What else have we got?"

"Hot!" Charlie called out and several of the girls agreed. Mia called out "Trouble!"

Lissa laughed, glancing at the sheet. "You're all wrong! The correct answer is... wild and brave. Aww... Now DRINK!"

We continued with that game for quite a while, the answers getting progressively sillier as the evening went on. By the end, I was in stitches - and _very _drunk.

"Okay!" Lissa called out again, stumbling slightly. "Next game!"

That was met with a very loud cheer from our group and Lissa grinned, holding up another piece of paper. "It's time for... Bachelorette Bingo! The first one to get five in a row wins! Losers drink five shots!"

She handed out a Bingo sheet to each of us and I started hooting. This was amazing. Everyone took a quick look and then ran in different directions, eager to complete their first square.

I ran straight to the bar, asking for a beer and a straw and drinking it quickly. I let out a loud hiccup and muttered to myself when I got halfway through. _This was so much worse than I thought it would be_.

I burst out laughing when I saw Sydney emerge from the bathroom wearing a hat made of toilet paper. "Looking good, Syd!"

She giggled and stumbled, running off to complete her next task by serenading a stranger.

I looked to my other side and saw that Lissa had somehow convinced one of the guys at the bar to let her write her name on his face. _Shit! I'm falling behind. _

I quickly downed the rest of my beer through the straw and ran up to Mia, who had just finished making a Conga line, dragging her with me to the bathroom.

"Let's swap clothes, does that one work for you?"

She nodded, quickly stripping off her top and trading it with mine.

I pulled her singlet on in record time and Mia suddenly burst out laughing. "Rose!" she said, doubling over, "Look!"

I stepped in front of the mirror and burst into a fit of giggles. The top was ridiculously small on me, particularly around my boobs.

I shrugged, still laughing "Too late now." I grabbed my list. "What have you got left?"

She had a quick look, "Selfie with the bartender, propose to someone and drink the strongest drink at the bar."

I nodded, "Let's do the selfie with the bartender and the drink one together. I'm doing those too!"

She grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the bathroom behind her.

We ran up to the bar, passing Sonya as she Frisbee-d beer coasters at poor passers-by. We pulled up at the bar, panting and waving the bartender over as we pulled out our phones. He chuckled, posing in our selfie, before asking, "What can I get you two ladies?"

"Two of your strongest drink!"

He winked and pulled out a bottle, filling up two shot glasses. "Absinth is over 70%. You've been warned," he said as he slid them towards us.

I gave Mia an apprehensive look, "Vlad! Isn't vodka like 40%?"

Mia shrugged, grabbing her glass and nudging me mine, "Don't be a chicken!"

We clinked glasses before quickly downing them.

"Oh my god!" Mia gasped out, gagging. I made a face, desperately searching for water.

After I'd finally found us some water and downed it, I finally managed to speak. "That's so much worse than I ever could have imagined. My insides are burning!"

Mia nodded, still gagging every once in a while.

I giggled, feeling particularly light-headed after that latest drink. Suddenly I looked at Mia, we both only had one left! I looked at my sheet quickly. Hug a stranger for 10 seconds. _Easy peasy. _

"Mia, you're going down!" I yelled as I sprinted over to the guy next to me, pulling him into a bear hug and counting down loudly.

"No!" I heard Mia yell out and she was suddenly next to me, down on one knee and screaming "MARRY ME!"

There was a pause as the guy laughed and said yes and Mia jumped to her feet, whooping loudly. "BINGO! I GOT BINGO!"

"NO!" I yelled out, "I had two more seconds, damn it!"

I released the guy from my hug, rolling my eyes as Mia did her victory lap through an archway created by Lissa, Jill, Charlie and Sonya. I looked over to see Sydney in the corner, still wearing her toilet paper hat as she munched down penis cookies.

I laughed, shaking my head in amusement. _These girls are crazy and I love it. _

I turned when I felt a hand brush down my arm. I took a look for the first time at the guy I had been hugging. He was Moroi and about my age, or maybe a bit older.

"You're still a winner in my eyes," he joked, smiling down at me. I didn't miss that his eyes flickered not so subtly down to my cleavage. I suppressed a groan; _God damn you and your tiny shirts, Mia! _

I gave him a polite smile before turning to leave and re-join the girls. I pulled up short when I felt a hand pull me back by the waist. I didn't turn around to face him, instead just grabbing his hand roughly and throwing it off me. I began to walk away again when I felt a presence behind me as he followed. He placed both hands on my shoulders and ran them over my upper arms. I stiffened when I felt his long fingers brush over my breasts.

_Oh, hell no! _I spun around at full speed to give him a piece of my mind.

* * *

**What do you think of drunken Dimitri? Do you know the tiny hats I'm talking about? I had such a good chuckle imagining that. **

**I LOVED doing the Bachelorette party - I can't wait until my friends start having these!**

**I have something very exciting planned for the next chapter, so stay tuned! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello again! **

**Thanks for your reviews. I'm glad everyone liked drunk Dimitri ;)**

**Reply to Guest and Li Li:**

**I agree I may be a little biased here in only looking at things from Rose's perspective. I think everyone's different, for some people (including me) age is a really big consideration before marriage so that probably factored into how I wrote it. I've been brought up to be very cautious and that it is important to come into yourself as a person before marriage/kids etc. Every person is different though! I guess I saw Rose similarly because I got that vibe from RM. In Homecoming we see Rose tell Dimitri not to propose until she's at least 20. And in the Ruby Circle Epilogue Dimitri jokes that he finally got Rose to start wearing the ring but can't get her to set a date! Also, Janine does tend to drill into Rose in the books that she should focus on her career and not relationships, so I think that contributes to Rose's hesitance. But I see your points and I'll definitely keep it in consideration when writing in the future. It's not my intention for Rose to look less invested in the relationship! **

**I'm glad everyone was happy with the compromise. It was always my plan to have Rose give in. As Sydney puts it, "she talks a good game, but I think she'll give in eventually." **

**Thanks for reviewing, it's good to think about things from a new perspective and critically examine character development. I promise Rose won't make Dimitri wait too long for kids :) What do you think is a good timeframe?**

**The 1 year later thing was really rough. The wedding is soon – sorry for any confusion!**

* * *

**DPOV**

I rolled over with a groan at the sound of my phone ringing.

I answered it quickly without looking at the caller ID, desperate to end the annoyingly shrill tone.

"Roza?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. Surely no one else would possibly be calling me at this hour.

"Dimitri, it's Lissa."

Lissa? I sat up immediately. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" She was silent for a few seconds on the other end. "Lissa? Why are you calling?"

"I... I think you should get down here..." Her words were slurring slightly. I suppressed a groan. Something must be wrong. My heartbeat quickened as she continued, "Some guys were bothering Rose. She's kind of... drunk and she's yelling at them. Please come down here. I don't want the guardians to have to get involved."

In an instant I was out of bed, dressed and heading out the door. This was not good, the last thing Rose needed was her reputation damaged even more because some asshole couldn't leave her alone. It had already suffered enough because of me. I sprinted over to the bar Vasilisa had described to me.

When I finally entered I saw Rose standing over by the bar with her back to me. She had her hands on her hips and was drilling into a group of young Moroi. I looked to the left to see the Queen's Guard standing nearby, shifting around uncomfortably. They were ready to intervene but looked hesitant. I didn't blame them; she was their boss after all!

I strode over, pulling up next to Rose to get her attention. When she felt my presence next to her she halted her rant and turned to face me.

"Rose, we should-"

I pulled up short, my eyes drifting straight to her chest as it was literally _pouring _out of her top.

"Блядь! What are you wearing?"

She looked up at me defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest. That only served to push her chest up more! I suppressed the urge to shrug off my duster and cover her, knowing that probably wouldn't go over well.

"It was part of Bingo, I had to swap shirts with Mia." She paused, her eyes flickering to one of the Moroi, "Apparently this asshole took that as an invitation to grope me."

My eyes narrowed at that last statement. _He touched her?_ I slowly stepped towards the guy that Rose had indicated. An infuriating little smirk stayed plastered on his face as I towered over him.

I spoke in a low voice, my gaze never shifting from his, "I wouldn't do that again if I was you."

He continued to smirk, his privilege so deeply ingrained that he was completely confident that I wouldn't touch him. He knew that if I did it would probably cost me my job. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that he was, unfortunately, probably right.

"Who the hell are you?" One of his friends called from next to him. I glanced over to see that he at least had the good sense to look apprehensive.

"I'm her fiancé. Now leave. Before I make you."

The one who had grabbed Rose burst out laughing at that. I returned my gaze to him, taking a step closer until we were chest to chest.

"Is something amusing?"

He sneered up at me. "Very. Two Dhamps can't get married! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

I shook my head in exasperation, my jaw tense. _Idiot_. I clenched my fists tightly and focused on controlling my breathing. After counting ten breaths I slowly unclenched my fists. _Don't do anything rash. _I repeated the mantra over and over again in my head.

I focused on letting the anger roll off my body as I stepped back to join Rose where she stood glaring at them with a look of pure revulsion.

"Let's go home, Roza. They're not worth it."

She nodded and grabbed my hand to leave, nodding her goodbyes to her friends. I noticed Vasilisa had pulled the head of her guard to the side and was whispering to him furiously. I shook my head in exasperation; there was no point... Even with a Queen as progressive as Vasilisa a majority of Moroi still saw us as second-class citizens.

We were walking towards the exit when the Moroi suddenly called out again.

"Wait! I know you... you're the Strigoi." I pulled up short, my heart skipping a beat. I felt Rose's hand tighten around mine as she stiffened beside me. "I've heard about you two. That's so disgusting. I bet she was your little Strigoi bloodwhore."

I felt the all too familiar twinge in my chest...the agony and guilt that was so extreme it was almost crippling.

Before I had time to react Rose had released my hand and was lunging towards them, a string of profanities flowing from her lips.

_Shit!_

I turned quickly, using my long reach to my advantage as I grabbed her and pulled her back towards me. If she got physical with them then the guardians would have no choice but to intervene.

I held her for a few moments as she struggled against me, still hurling abuse at the Moroi as he watched us in amusement.

"Be calm, Roza. They're not worth it." I murmured to her soothingly, working to control my own fury at his comment.

After a minute I felt her sag in my arms in defeat. I relaxed my hold on Rose and finally allowed my attention to turn back to the vile pieces of work that stood before us. I shifted my gaze to the Moroi who'd spoken, lowering my voice and lacing it with venom.

"Watch yourself."

I looked at his infuriating cocky grin with pure hatred. It was taking every inch of my self-control not to beat that smirk right off his entitled face. If it weren't for Roza in my arms, I probably would have.

One of his friends was staring at Rose in disbelief. "Jesus, man. Control your woman. I don't know how you deal with that."

I let out a low growl as I felt Roza stiffen again in my arms.

The one who had grabbed Rose let out a loud laugh. "She needs to learn her place. If you ever need help with that... She just needs a good bite and lay."

There wasn't time for anyone to react. The moment those words left his lips I was in front of him in an instant. I grabbed him roughly by the shirt collar and lifted him off the ground. His stupid smirk stayed in place, he was pleased that he'd finally gotten a reaction out of me. I saw red, slamming him up against the wall. Hard.

I spoke slowly, lowering my voice as I leaned in close enough to him that my breath tickled against his face.

"If you _ever_ speak badly of her again... I will end you. Consider this your last warning."

I continued to hold him there, giving him another hard shove up against the wall.

At least now he had the sense to look afraid. He gulped, staring up at me wide-eyed and scrambling in an attempt to be free of my hold.

"L-look man," he stuttered, "I didn't mean it. Just let me go."

I smirked down at him. _Not so cocky now, are we?_

I paused when I felt Roza's hands clutching at my arms.

"Dimitri, let's go!"

I turned to notice the guardians starting to step towards us and quickly dropped the Moroi with one last shove. He fell to the ground, stumbling as he tried to quickly scramble to his feet and get away from me.

The guardians were starting to close in on me when Vasilisa yelled out, ordering them to stand down. I looked over to see an expression of absolute fury had overcome her usually composed features. I'd never seen her look that angry. My stomach dropped as the realisation hit me. _She has to know what happened to Rose back then... what I _did_ to her._

I was pulled back to the present at the feeling of Roza dragging me backwards. I looked up to see that the guardians had halted their advance. Vasilisa was indicating with her head for us to leave. Rose shot her friend an appreciative glance as we quickly retreated. I focused on counting my breaths and controlling my breathing as we left the bar. I was still seething with anger, to the point where I was shaking. I would need to go to the gym soon and hit something. I just couldn't believe that someone had said that about Roza. And if he said it, how many other people were thinking it? This was not good. A reputation like that in our world never left you.

As we made out way out into the afternoon light I looked up, taking deep breaths in and out, trying to stop my mind from spinning. I couldn't believe I'd lost it like that. I had actually grabbed and threatened a Moroi, and a royal one at that. I groaned; there would be hell to pay for that in the morning. _At least I didn't hit him_.

Rose broke me out of my reverie by grabbing my arm to get my attention. I looked down to see her gazing at me with pleading eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Dimitri. I shouldn't have reacted to them like that. It's my fault you had to get involved. I'll explain everything to Hans tomorrow." Her words were slightly slurred and she was stumbling somewhat.

I gave a small smile, reaching out to steady her in her heels by wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Roza, you have nothing to apologise for. I'm sorry you have to deal with idiots like that because you're with me."

She shook her head, clinging to me tightly as we slowly made our way back to our apartment. Guilt washed over me that her bachelorette party had ended on such a horrible note. This was supposed to be her night of carefree fun; our lives had enough stresses already. I made a promise to myself that next week on our honeymoon I would take her out for something fun.

I was pulled out of that train of thought when Roza suddenly stopped short, causing me to nearly drag her along with me. I looked down at her in confusion to see her squinting her eyes shut tightly.

"Comrade..." she moaned, "I don't feel so good..." I studied her closely; she definitely looked a little green. I gripped her even tighter when she started to sway in my arms.

"You don't look so good, Roza." I said, gazing at her in concern. "What did you have to drink?"

She paused for a moment, thinking back as she tried to recall. "Umm... Lots of Jell-O shots... when that ran out of that, wine... beer... and something called absoth?"

"Absinth?" I swore under my breath in Russian. "Roza! That stuff's as bad as Russian vodka! I don't even think it's legal in some countries."

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter. "Everything's spinning." She moaned as she dropped slightly to rest her hands on her knees, lowering her head.

I chuckled lightly, running soothing circles on her back. "Zen life lesson number 108," I joked, "never mix drinks past the age of 18."

She groaned again. "I don't think I can walk. The sidewalk is moving!"

I chuckled again. "Poor Roza. Let's get you to bed."

I picked her up gently, tucking her into my chest and being careful not to jostle her around too much as I walked.

She let out another moan as she clung to my shirt tightly. "Are you walking on an angle?"

I suppressed a laugh at her theatrics. "No. We're almost home, just hang in there."

When we finally made it through the front door I strode over to the couch, gently placing Rose on it and laying the throw over her.

"Do you need a bucket?"

She moaned but nodded, "Maybe, just to be safe?"

I grabbed her the mop bucket from the laundry and placed it near her head, planting a kiss on her hair as I did. I then went to the kitchen and pulled out the Gatorades I had purchased in anticipation of tonight. I placed one in front of her.

"Drink. I promise you'll feel better after you do. It's purple, your favourite."

She smiled up at me and took a big gulp. "Thanks, comrade."

I returned her smile and perched on the couch, picking up her legs and resting them on top of mine.

"Did you have a good night?" I asked as she continued sipping on her Gatorade.

She nodded, giving me a small smile. "Before... all of that. I had the best night. I liked your answers to the questions. I'm embarrassed to say I got a lot wrong."

I chuckled, "Maybe that's why you're so sick now."

She rolled her eyes. "That was a dangerous game for all involved. You're not exactly an open book."

I smirked down at her, "I think you read me just fine. Are you feeling a bit better?" I studied her again, she was definitely looking less green than she had on the street.

She nodded slowly, taking another sip. "I think lying down is helping."

I ran my hands over her legs soothingly. "You should eat something too. It'll help soak up all the alcohol. I made you Pirozhki earlier... they were always my favourite drunk food." I chuckled when she raised her head slightly in interest, all thoughts of nausea forgotten.

"Is that the little pastry things?"

"Yes, I made a few different types. Would you like potato, meat or cheese?"

"Yes." She replied, grinning at me before bursting into laughter at her own joke. I chuckled, rising to grab three from the kitchen and popping them on a plate before quickly heating them up.

She smiled at me appreciatively as I brought them over to her. "Be careful," I warned as she eyed them with an all too familiar ravenous look, "the insides will probably be really hot."

She nodded, breaking them open and waiting for them to cool.

"So, Dimitri Belikov has a favourite drunk food, huh?" she said, grinning at me cheekily. "I didn't know you were such a party animal."

I rolled my eyes, "I went to a few parties."

She laughed before tucking into her pirozhki. As she took her first bite she yelped in surprise, opening her mouth to let out some of the steam.

I chuckled, "I told you to wait!"

She breathed out again, a puff of smoke blowing out of her mouth. "But I'm hungry," she mumbled around the pastry. She finally swallowed before adding, "All Lissa provided for food was penis cookies."

I just raised an eyebrow at her. "American traditions are so weird."

After she'd devoured all three pastries I lifted her again, carrying her to the bathroom. I helped her undress and turned on the shower for her. I was gently guiding her under the water when she stumbled slightly, causing her to drag me into the shower with her.

I groaned as she tugged me fully clothed under the spray, quickly jumping back. But it was no use - I was soaked! She burst out laughing, swaying again slightly. I rushed forward to grab her, resigning myself to my fate of wet clothes as she giggled against my chest.

"Am I making you _wet_, comrade?" She tittered, running her hands over my wet t-shirt.

"You're lucky I'm not wearing my duster." I grumbled, "Otherwise you would have had to do a lot of grovelling."

She laughed again, pulling me into a tight hug. "I love you." She mumbled against my chest and I smiled, pressing my lips against the top of her head.

After I'd gotten us both dry I tucked Roza into bed, fetching the bucket from the living room just in case she needed it in the night.

I crawled in next to her, watching her peaceful expression as she snored lightly next to me. As I sat in bed I recollected the events of tonight, finally letting the all too familiar wave of guilt wash over me.

* * *

**Okay, so I know I promised something exciting from this chapter... There was a bit of excitement at least! Something else was meant to be included but I didn't anticipate just how **_**long**_** it would end up being. It's pretty much done, but it will be its own chapter so I'm sorry but you'll have to wait!**

**Regardless, I hope that you enjoyed this moment. What did you think of the Moroi asshole? Rose and Dimitri are a controversial couple and I'm sure they'd have to let a lot of comments slide off of them. But that guy unquestionably went too far. What do you think of Dimitri losing his control?**

**Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think :) **


	11. Chapter 11

**Here it is!**

**Dialogue belongs to RM. **

**** WARNING this chapter contains darker themes.**

* * *

**DPOV**

I crawled in next to her, watching her peaceful expression as she snored lightly next to me. As I sat in bed I recollected the events of tonight, finally letting the all too familiar wave of guilt wash over me.

Flashback

I walked towards Rose's room, working to remain calm as the incessant sound of furniture being thrown around grew in volume. I could hear her from downstairs! If she didn't shut up soon there would be hell to pay with Galina.

"Give up, Rose." I muttered under my breath. "It's going to take a lot more than anything you're capable of to break that furniture. I made sure of it."

I navigated the short hallway and made my way to the keypad, punching in the digits and preparing to enter the room quickly. The last thing I needed was Rose making a break for the door in some kind of futile and misguided escape attempt. She wouldn't get far in an estate full of Strigoi, and I really needed her alive for the next stage of my plan.

As I entered the suite I saw Rose turn from her position across the room by the window. As the door opened she adjusted, using the chair she was holding to run at me full speed. I shook my head in frustration. This wasn't like her... She was acting weak and desperate. I taught her better than that.

I shoved her back in annoyance; it would take a lot more than a stupid chair to get through me. She stumbled slightly, readjusting before she charged at me again like an annoying little gnat. _Give it up! _I let out a low growl and grabbed the chair, tossing it to the side in irritation.

And _still _she came at me with her infuriatingly futile attempts!

"Rose," I said, deflecting one of her kicks and resisting the urge to backhand her across the room. _You need her. Don't be rash_. "You're wasting time. Stop."

She paused for a moment, her eyes flickering to meet mine as she panted before me. My eyes flashed briefly to her chest as it heaved. I quickly averted my gaze; I couldn't afford to think about that. Yet.

My gaze lifted back up to meet her eyes. I suppressed a groan when I saw the resolve flicker in them. She grabbed a _DVD player _as her next weapon, hurling it at me with the most ludicrous battle cry.

_Oh, for fuck's sake! _I grabbed it and tossed it across the room. _That's it. _I grabbed her arms. Hard. Hopefully the pain would knock some sense into that thick head of hers.

When she continued to struggle I decided to try a different tactic.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Roza, please stop." She froze at the old nickname and I suppressed a smirk. It was almost too easy.

Apparently it was. She suddenly swung out in a feeble attempt at kicking me. I exhaled in annoyance, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her face-first against the wall.

I pressed up against her, ignoring my body's immediate response to having her body pressed so close against mine, completely at my mercy. _Not long... But first, you need her to trust you_.

"Stop fighting me." I whispered against her neck. God, that neck... She smelt mouth-watering. _Stop getting distracted! _"I'm not going to hurt you."

She shoved against the wall and I pressed against her harder, enjoying the feeling of her crushed underneath me.

"You'll have to understand if I have a hard time believing that."

I clenched my jaw. It was getting increasingly difficult not to yell at her now. I focused very hard on remaining calm as I pointed out, "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Now, if you're going to keep fighting, I'll have to tie you up. If you stop, I'll let you stay unrestrained."

As the words left my lips part of me hoped that she wouldn't stop fighting me. There was something very appealing about the idea of Rose tied up before me.

"Aren't you afraid I'll escape?"

Her voice was defiant and it took everything in my power to not laugh at that ridiculous statement. She was no match for me now. She was distracted and panicked. She had lost her focus the second she saw me - just like I told her time and time again not to! I shook my head in frustration; she was supposed to be stronger than this.

"No. I am not."

We continued to stand like that for another minute before she finally relaxed in my hold. "Okay."

I slowly released her, not fully trusting her to follow through. As I freed her she turned to face me, studying me again like she had on the street. Like I was a puzzle that she couldn't figure out. I studied her too. She was still beautiful... God, how I wanted her! I shook the thought for the moment.

"Why did you come here?" I needed to think of something other than how her body had felt pressed against mine.

"Because you hit me on the head and dragged me here." She raised her eyebrows at me, crossing her arms over her chest in rebellion.

I glared at her in annoyance. _Just answer the damn question, Rose_.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Why are you _here_."

She looked taken aback by my tone, stumbling as she answered, "In Siberia? I came to find you."

_Of course you did_.

"I came here to get away from you."

She looked surprised by my admission. "Why? Because I might kill you?"

I suppressed an eye roll. _Obviously not_. _You couldn't even get a good hit in_. _You're blinded by past sentiments._

"No. So we wouldn't be in _this _situation. Now we are, and the choice is inevitable."

"Well, you can let me go if you want to avoid it."

I turned away from her, walking to the couch to hide my infuriated expression. I'd had enough of the jokes.

After I'd calmed my expression into its usual impassive mask I turned to face her again, sitting on the armchair. "Not possible anymore. Not after seeing you now..." I paused and studied her body again, this time from a safer distance. God, how I wanted that body... I'd wasted months at the Academy desperately fighting my desire for her. But no more. Now there was no one who could stop me. No rules and restrictions hanging over my head. She would finally be mine. It took everything in my power not to slam her up against the wall and take her right then and there.

"You're still as beautiful as I remember, Roza. Not that I should have expected any different." I tilted my head as my eyes continued to rake over her body. I wanted her closer. "You can sit down."

She shook her head in defiance. "I'm fine over here."

I narrowed my eyes at her attitude. She was so infuriatingly stubborn! I could have killed her on the street - if it were anyone else I would have. But instead, I brought her here and gave her the option of unimaginable power. She should be grateful, but she was being her usual pig-headed self.

I suppressed my anger and tried a different tactic. I offered her whatever she needed, explaining that her stay would include every luxury imaginable. I wanted her to feel comfortable here. The quicker that happened, the quicker she would choose to join me. I also explained the situation with Galina to her, smirking in amusement at the obvious jealousy from Rose when she found out I lived with another woman.

My smile twisted at her incredibly unsubtle attempts to get more information about the estate. _Honestly, I thought I taught her better than this_.

"I know what you're doing, and I'm not going to give you that sort of information."

She huffed. "Then what _are _you doing? Why are you holding me here? Kill me or let me go. And if you're going to just lock me up and torture me with mind games or whatever, then I really would rather you kill me."

"Brave words." I sneered, standing and beginning to pace to work out some of the agitation that was growing inside me with each passing second of this infuriating conversation. I should have foreseen that she'd be this obstinate. "I almost believe you."

She continued on, defiant as ever. "They're true. I came here to kill you. And if I can't do that, then I'd rather die."

I ran my hand through my hair in irritation. I quickly changed the topic of conversation before I snapped and ruined everything.

"You failed you know. On the street."

She continued with her maddening sarcasm. "Yeah. I kind of figured that out when I woke up here."

I let out a low growl and in an instant, I was in front of her.

"I'm a little disappointed." I really thought capturing her would be more of a challenge, the ultimate test of my strength. Instead she'd frozen at the sight of me. "You're so good, Rose. So very, very good. You and your friends going around and taking down Strigoi caused quite a stir, you know. Some Strigoi were even afraid." Well, the weak ones were. Galina had seen to those ones being eliminated. They could serve her no purpose.

"But not you?

"When I heard it was you... hmm." I turned thoughtful. I was never afraid, but the knowledge that it was Rose behind the killings... that she was looking specifically for _me_. It certainly required a degree of caution. "No. I was curious. Wary. If anyone could have killed me, it would have been you. But like I said, you hesitated. It was your ultimate test of my lessons, and you failed."

Her face was blank, her chin jutting out in defiance. "I won't hesitate next time."

I shook my head slightly, smiling down at her. "There won't be a next time. And anyway, as disappointed as I am in you, I'm still glad to be alive, of course."

"You aren't alive. You're dead. Unnatural. You told me a long time ago you'd rather die than be like this. That's why I'm going to kill you."

I smirked. I had once been as stupid and ignorant as her. Now I knew the truth. "You're only saying that because you don't know any better. I didn't either back then." It disgusted me how much of my life I had dedicated to serving the Moroi. And for what? So they could treat me like a second-class citizen? So they could stop me from being with Rose?

"Look, I meant what I said. I'm not playing your game. If I can't get out of here, then just kill me, okay?"

I reached my fingers along the side of her face; unable to hold myself back anymore. She gasped underneath my touch. I too was entranced, she was so warm, and I felt the familiar spark of connection that always accompanied her touch. I wanted her. More than I'd ever thought it was possible to want another.

"Killing you... well, it's not that simple." I lowered my voice to a whisper as I leaned closer. I was so close now... Close enough to lean in and taste her in an instant if I so desired. My eyes flickered briefly to the artery on her neck.

"There's a third option. I could awaken you."

She froze beneath me, her heartbeat quickening beneath my fingers and her breathing halting.

Finally, she managed out a strangled plea. "No." She stared for a moment longer, true terror in her eyes as she said it again, this time stronger. "No."

"You don't know what it's like. It's... amazing. Transcendent. All your senses are alive; the world is more alive–"

"Yeah, but you're _dead_."

"Am I?"

I grabbed her hand, placing it on my chest to feel my heartbeat. It was something that had taken me by surprise when I was first awakened. Her eyes widened in shock as I continued. "My heart beats. I'm breathing."

She stuttered, desperately grasping for logic where there was none. Everything she had been taught was a lie. "Yeah, but... it's not really being alive. It's... it's dark magic reanimating you. It's an illusion of life."

I suppressed a smirk at her ridiculous explanation. She was grasping at straws now.

"It's better than life."

I moved my hands up to cup her face, as I cradled it in my palms I heard her heartbeat quicken. _She wants you_. I gave a small smile at the realisation. Even in this form, she couldn't resist me. This was it. This was the moment I would convince her... I had her now. I leaned in, putting a tiny bit of compulsion into my final pitch.

"It's like being a god, Rose. Strength. Speed. Able to perceive the world in ways you could never imagine. And...immortality." I paused as I reached my final selling point, the one I knew would appeal to her pathetic emotions the most. "We could be together forever."

She paused, a pained expression overcoming her features as she considered my words.

I fought back the annoyance when she whispered, "No...We can't be."

"We could." I whispered back, gazing deep into her eyes.

I shifted one of my fingers, trailing it down until it rested on the artery in her neck. I salivated at the feeling of it throbbing beneath my finger. _Soon_.

"I could do it quickly. There'd be no pain. It'd be done before you even knew it."

My eyes explored the length of her neck, engrossed in the fantasy of draining her, of feeling her power flow into me. Her breathing quickened at my words and I felt her blood rushing beneath my fingers. I looked up to see her eyes glazed over. _This is it_. _She wants you._ My fangs felt the familiar ache as I leaned in slightly, eager for her consent.

Suddenly the door burst open. I turned around in fury, shoving Rose behind me so that I could stand between her and the intruder. The last thing I needed was another Strigoi developing an obsession with what was _mine_. Rose tended to have that effect on men.

My eyes narrowed when I saw Nathan enter with Inna. _I'll fucking kill you for ruining that moment. _

"What the hell is going on? You're keeping some pet up here?"

I lowered my voice, working hard to keep it even. "It's none of your concern, Nathan." I glared at him in warning, playing my trump card. "Galina gave me permission."

Nathan's gaze shifted slightly and his eyes widened. "_Her_?"

I moved, blocking Rose from Nathan's view. _Try it_. _I dare you. I'd love an excuse to rip you limb from limb. _

"She was at the school in Montana... We fought...". He curled his lips back and bared his fangs. "I would have tasted her blood if that fire-using Moroi brat hadn't been around."

I suppressed a growl, my anger bubbling. No one would taste Rose's blood but me.

"This doesn't have anything to do with you," I repeated, anger dripping from every word.

"Are you kidding? She can lead us to the Dragomir girl! If we finish that line off, our names will be legendary. How long are you going to keep her?"

"Get out," I growled. "That's not a request.

Nathan pointed towards Rose. "She's valuable. If you're going to keep her around as some blood whore plaything, at least share. Then, we'll get the information and finish her."

I stepped forward until I was towering over Nathan. If he touched her... death would be the kinder option. He would beg for it.

"Get out of here. If you lay a hand on her, I will destroy you. I will rip your head off with my bare hands and watch it burn in the sun."

He continued to glare at me, unflinching. "Galina won't allow you to play house with this girl. Even you don't have that much pull."

I smirked. _Oh, but I do. _"Don't make me tell you to leave again. I'm not in a patient mood today."

Nathan glowered at me as we stood, locked in a battle of wills. But we both knew who would come out victorious. I sneered at the brief glimpse of fear I saw flash in his eyes. He knew he was no match for me. Even as a Dhampir they had called me a god. Now, with eternal life and power, I was unstoppable.

He turned to the door, "This isn't over. I'm talking to Galina."

He finally left and I relaxed my posture slightly. The room was silent for a long moment. I looked over to see Inna remained, standing to the side like a deer caught in headlights.

"Don't just stand there," I snapped in Russian. "Do your job."

She nodded, quickly placing the tray down and lifting the lid to reveal the pizza and brownie I had requested for Rose. If there was ever a way through to Rose, it was food.

"Lunch," I said. "Not poisoned."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to eat."

I arched an eyebrow at her, genuinely surprised by her response. "Do you want something else?"

"I don't want anything else because I'm not going to eat anything _at all_. If you aren't going to kill me, then I'll do it myself."

"By starving to death?" Now that was completely ludicrous, so much so that it was mildly amusing. She was completely desperate. "I'll awaken you long before then."

"Why aren't you just doing it now?"

"Because I'd rather wait for you to be willing." Heaven knows I would never hear the end of it if I forced her hand. She was too strong-willed for that.

"You're going to be waiting a long time."

I let out a loud laugh, she didn't even realise how close she was to accepting before Nathan barged in and ruined everything. "We'll see."

In an instant I was before her, wrapping my hand around her hair and forcing her close against me. I tilted her face up and crushed my lips against hers.

Being that close to her... tasting her... it gave me a wonderful idea. I held back a moan as I imagined sinking my teeth into that beautiful neck. My grip on her tightened as I imagined branding her in a way no man had before. I knew from experience that if you bite someone enough it eventually leaves a scar, a mark that told the world she was mine and mine alone.

I felt the desire in my fangs as they begged me to move towards her neck, to sink my teeth in and drain her dry. I pulled away suddenly and quickly changed my train of thought, knowing otherwise I wouldn't be able to stop myself from grabbing her and drinking from her then and there. But I hadn't fed in a while, and there was no guarantee I'd be able to stop.

I had to admit the idea was somewhat appealing. I imagined feeling all that raw energy drain from her body into mine. Very appealing... _No. _I needed her alive until she made the decision to turn and join me. Then we could defeat Galina... and the estate, and Rose, would be mine forever.

I glanced down to find her wide-eyed and gasping before me, just as affected by our kiss but for an entirely different reason. It was entertaining how much she was still affected by me. Despite her strong words, she wanted me. It was clear as day all over her face. It was clear in the way she kissed me. I couldn't wait to explore it more.

I gestured to Inna, explaining to Rose that she would get her whatever she needed. I then barked at Inna in Russian, telling her that I was not to be interrupted again when I was with Rose. I had things planned, and I didn't need an audience. She nodded quickly and meekly followed me to the door like the weak little human she was.

"Where are you going?" Rose called after me.

"I have things to do. Besides, you need time to think."

_And I need to get my thirst under control. _I was already salivating at the idea of returning. There was something unbelievably appealing about the idea of feeding from Rose... Of finally making her _mine._

End flashback

And that's what I'd reduced her to. The most strong and confident woman in the world into a literal doll that I dressed up and used for my own entertainment.

I saw the shift in her from the first time I sunk my fangs into her. I watched with pleasure as her eyes glazed over and she stared up at me in ecstasy. Like I was her whole world. Like she would do anything to please me.

I derived sickening pleasure every time I'd return to find her dressed up and ready to hand herself to me like a neat little package. Every time she looked at me with pleading eyes, begging for sex and the next bite. I was her entire world. I _owned _her.

I shook my head, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her hair, repeating my mantra that I had worked through in therapy. _You aren't responsible. You're a victim too. _

I repressed a sigh. Maybe one of these days I'd start to believe it.

* * *

**What do you think? I found Strigoi Dimitri hard to write - it's definitely a dark mindset to get into. I tried to think only in terms of power, control and possession when understanding his mindset and I hope it came out somewhat convincing! **

**I hope that you're all still enjoying the story. I know this chapter isn't really on theme with their love story, but I think it's important to understand Dimitri's experience. I think he continues to carry a fair amount of guilt and it's important to understand where that stems from.**

**Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think so far :) **

**The wedding is coming up! What do you think Dimitri and Rose's first dance song will be?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! So sorry about the wait - I've been SUPER busy and life got in the way a bit. I probably should have anticipated it and staggered the release of my chapters but when it's done I get too excited to share it with you and hear what you guys think! Thanks for everyone who commented on the last chapter: this one is for you Guardian-Maleficent. **

**Great news on my end though – I'm graduating from law school this year and I've received some amazing graduate offers, including one from my dream firm! So I have been very busy celebrating. I'm so pleased that years of hard work and months of interviewing, networking and testing have paid off! They're also giving me next year off to travel, so I'm really excited :)**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please don't forget to review – I love hearing what you think!**

* * *

**RPOV**

I woke up to the feeling of nausea in my stomach; the kind you get after mixing _far _too many drinks the night before. I groaned as I rolled over and snuggled against Dimitri's chest. _What happened last night?_

My eyelids slowly fluttered open to find Dimitri lying awake beneath me, staring at the ceiling.

I smiled at him, pulling up to kiss him on the jaw. "Morning."

His gaze didn't shift from studying the ceiling. "Morning."

I pulled back slightly at his response. Something wasn't right. What happened last night? _Think, Rose_. The night came back in flashes, getting patchier as the night wore on... I remembered some asshole groping me, and me giving him a piece of my mind. I suppressed a groan. That was going to be a fun chat with Hans.

I stiffened slightly when I remembered Dimitri intervening. At one point he had one of them up against a wall? That can't be right... Dimitri never loses his temper.

I shifted so I was hovering above him, studying him closely.

"You okay, comrade? My memory of last night is a little patchy."

He nodded quickly, refusing to meet my gaze.

I continued to look at him, willing myself to remember last night. I focused on replaying every detail, hoping it would trigger something.

My stomach dropped when it flashed in front of my eyes.

"_I know you..." his voice trailed off and you could hear the smile in his voice as he continued, "you're the Strigoi."_

I felt my blood run cold as I remembered the sentence that had nearly broken me.

"_I bet she was your little Strigoi blood whore."_

"Dimitri..." I whispered, reaching out slowly to stroke his face.

He pushed me away and in the next second he was out of bed, facing away from me.

"Don't worry about it, Rose. I'm fine."

I sighed, burying my face in my hands. "You're not though, are you? Remember what she said in therapy? You can't ignore these things. We need to talk about it."

He kept his back to me and his voice was hard.

"There's nothing I want to discuss."

I got up slowly, moving towards him. "Dimitri... please –"

I was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. I scoffed as Dimitri all but sprinted away from me to answer it. _Saved by the bell, comrade_.

I wandered into the living room to find Lissa barging her way past Dimitri.

"Rose, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Lissa. It's no big deal. Really." I hoped she'd take the hint and leave. Dimitri didn't need her making a big song and dance about this right now.

"It's all sorted," Lissa said, giving me a pointed look. "Neither of you need to report to Hans about the incident."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

Lissa nodded, her expression grave. "He was asking for it. I won't allow that sort of behaviour. A Moroi can't provoke a Dhampir to that... degree... and still expect the protection of the law. It isn't right."

I looked over at Dimitri, only to find his guardian mask firmly in place. I suppressed a sigh. He was bottling this up. Just like last time.

"Thank you, Lissa." I said, giving her a tight smile.

She nodded and an uncomfortable silence overcame the room. Seeming to sense that we needed to be alone, Lissa excused herself.

On her way out she turned quickly, calling out. "Oh, and Rose? I'll be back later this afternoon to help you pack."

I nodded and closed the door, turning to face Dimitri. He met my gaze with emotionless eyes and my stomach tightened.

"Please just talk to me, Dimitri. How are you really? It's fine not to be okay. Everyone has hard days."

He stared for a long moment before finally replying.

"I'm fine, Rose."

He started towards the bedroom and I followed him. "I'm just going to go to the gym." He called over his shoulder, heading to the dresser.

"I'll come with you," I said, moving towards my own drawer of workout gear.

He turned around and met my gaze, finally showing a hint of emotion through that expressionless mask. He looked... defeated.

"No, Roza. I just want to be alone for a while."

I nodded reluctantly and watched as he dressed. He gave me a swift kiss on the cheek and was out of the door within a minute.

I shook my head in exasperation. Dimitri had such a tendency to distance and punish himself rather than address issues. I thought we'd worked past it... but maybe we hadn't.

_You can't avoid me forever. We will talk about this_.

I slumped onto the bed and buried my face in my hands, letting out a frustrated groan.

I don't know how long I lay there. I was thinking about Dimitri and our journey towards healing together when I suddenly had an idea to cheer Dimitri up.

I rushed over to the kitchen and searched the drawers for the little box Olena had given me when we'd returned to Russia after Dimitri's restoration. I smiled fondly at the memory. The Belikov's had been so incredibly thankful towards me. They couldn't believe that I'd done the impossible and saved him. Well, except for Yeva, who just claimed she'd always known Dimitri would be saved. _Thanks for sharing that one with me then, Yeva. _I'd been incredulous when she'd told me, but when I questioned why she didn't share that knowledge she'd simply replied, "Too easy. You needed to work for it." I rolled my eyes at the memory. _Smart-ass. _

I finally found the little box engraved with _Belikov _and pulled out the little recipe cards, scouring through them.

After carefully looking through a few I found a recipe for blini. Flour, eggs, milk, butter, jam... it all looked pretty standard. I was pretty sure we had all the ingredients already, and the instructions didn't look as scary as some of the other recipes.

I pulled out all the ingredients and read the recipe over carefully a few times, being sure I wasn't missing anything. I wanted to get this right for Dimitri.

_Alright, Rose. You can do this. You are a badass guardian who literally fights the undead for a living. Cooking some pancakes is nothing._

I smiled at the little pep talk and set to work, carefully measuring out each of the ingredients.

I groaned in frustration when I accidentally over-poured the flour. As I scrambled to clean it up quickly, it pooffed all over me and I let out another groan. _Not a great start._

I quickly wiped up most of the flour before I continued on, mixing the ingredients together to make the batter.

When all the ingredients were added I stared at it for a long moment, my eyes narrowing. It seemed a little lumpy. When Olena had made them they were always smooth. I added a bit more milk and tried to smooth it out with a fork.

When I was happy with the batter's consistency I poured a bit into the pan as the recipe instructed. I picked up the pan and spread the batter around. But something didn't seem right... It looked too runny. I poked around the pan for a bit longer. Definitely too runny.

"Back to the drawing board, Rose," I muttered to myself as I hurried back to the ingredients and started to re-measure.

I was furiously mashing out lumps in the mixture when I smelt the horrible burning smell.

_Shit!_

I rushed over and realised I'd left the pan on. Damn it!

I tried to lift the pancake but it looked completely charred. I groaned in frustration, I didn't have time to clean this pan out! Dimitri would probably be home soon.

I pushed it to the side and got out a new pan, leaving the heat off as I returned to tweaking my mixture. _Why is it so lumpy! _

I was on the verge of frustrated tears when the front door opened and in walked Dimitri. It must have been quite a sight; me covered in flour, the kitchen in shambles and the very distinct smell of charred batter filling our apartment.

He pulled up short, staring at the mess before him for a long moment.

Suddenly he burst out laughing, throwing his head back into a full-body laugh.

I joined in, hanging my head in my hands in embarrassment.

"I tried, comrade. I really did."

He continued laughing as his gaze met mine. He stepped forward, still chuckling and grabbed the spatula out of my hand before placing it on the counter.

We stared at each other for a long moment before I reached out and pulled him into a tight hug.

He returned it, burying his face into my hair before he mumbled. "Thank you, Roza."

We held each other for a minute, enjoying the feeling of closeness. Eventually, I moved my head from his chest. I lifted my gaze to meet his and studied him closely. He looked slightly dishevelled; a sheen of sweat covered his body and his hair was falling out of its tie and sticking to his face.

"Are you okay?"

He gave a small smile, reaching down and wiping a bit of batter from my forehead with his thumb.

"Not really..."

I pushed a strand of hair off his face, waiting for him to continue.

"I had another flashback." I held my breath and watched as a pained look came over his features and his gaze shifted to a far off place. "They're so vivid. Sometimes it feels like it's happening all over again..." He paused, his voice barely a whisper as he continued, "Sometimes I worry he still lives inside me." On the last word, his voice broke. That tugged at my heart, seeing a man as good as him torturing himself over something that wasn't his fault.

I took a step back, grabbing his face between my hands and looking him in the eye. I waited for him to meet my gaze before I spoke.

"Listen to me, Dimitri. You are not responsible for what that monster did. He may have looked like you, but the resemblance ends there. Since I got you back you've done nothing but love and support me. That isn't in a Strigoi's nature. You are exactly the man I fell in love with all those years ago. The very fact that you worry proves my point. A Strigoi wouldn't worry. You worry because you're a good man."

He met my eyes for a long moment before he nodded slightly, giving me a small smile.

"I love you, Roza."

"I love you too. You're the best man I've ever known. Never forget that."

He gave another smile and kissed me on the forehead.

"I'm going to take a shower." He paused, his eyes flickering over my head to the carnage in the kitchen. An amused expression overcame his features, "Were you throwing the batter against the wall or something? How did you make this much mess?" he paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to the left as he stared at something in confusion. "What did you do to that pan?"

I huffed. "That recipe is harder than it looks! As for the pan, it sucks. Stupid batter won't come off of it."

He gave me a dry look. "Could be because you absolutely charred the blini to the bottom of it."

I rolled my eyes. "What can I say, comrade... you're not marrying me for my cooking prowess."

He chuckled. "No, I'm marrying you for many other very wonderful reasons. How about when I'm out of the shower I help you make another batch? Mama would be so happy if you could make one of her recipes when we're back."

I nodded and smiled. "Sounds great, comrade. I love you." I stroked his face affectionately. "Now go and get in the shower. You're a sweaty mess. I'll clean this up in the meantime."

He nodded and headed off to the bathroom and I sighed in relief. He seemed okay... As long as he let me in we would be okay.

When Dimitri was out of sight I turned back towards the kitchen, looking around in apprehension. I decided to start with the easiest task of wiping everything down. When that was done I turned to the pan, grabbing the spatula and taking it over to the sink to begin my scrubbing.

It was finally beginning to look normal again when Dimitri returned from the shower.

I sniggered as Dimitri donned the 'kiss the chef' apron I'd gotten him last Christmas. It was part of a matching set - I'd given the other one to Christian. They had looked very adorable baking in the kitchen in their matching aprons.

Dimitri carefully tied his hair back and turned to face me.

"Okay, get cooking. I'll keep watch for the safety of the building."

I glared at him before turning to the ingredients and beginning to measure them out again. When I picked up the bag of flour Dimitri put up his hand to stop me, reaching into a drawer behind him.

"You should sift the flour before you add it so it doesn't get lumpy."

I nodded and poured the flour through the sieve.

Apparently trusting me not to burn down the place, Dimitri turned and started chopping fruit.

I had just picked up the milk when Dimitri called out. "Be careful not to add too much milk. You don't want the mixture too runny."

I stared at him incredulously. Did the man have eyes in the back of his head?

I finished combining the mixture and looked at it happily. No lumps! The sieving worked.

Dimitri finished chopping and came to supervise as I moved towards the pan.

"Let it heat up before you pour in the mixture." He said, taking the bowl away from me. I stuck out my tongue and he chuckled. "For your own protection."

After a minute Dimitri held his hand over the pan and nodded.

"Okay, pour it in. Slowly."

I poured the mixture, grabbing the handle to tilt the pan and spread it around.

"Perfect," Dimitri said, kissing my temple.

He went back preparing the toppings while I continued to watch the pan nervously. _If this burns again, I'll never hear the end of it_.

After a few minutes, Dimitri came back over, glancing at the mixture briefly.

"Looks good. See how it's bubbling a bit on the top? That means we need to flip it soon."

I nodded and picked up the spatula. He watched me closely as I carefully ran the spatula under the edges of the blini, checking its colour, before I slid it under and flipped it in one quick motion. _Ha! Dhampir reflexes._ I studied my little crepe-like creation in the pan. It had gotten a little scrunched, but other than that it looked okay!

"Perfect, Roza. Don't leave it as long on this side. Then you just add it to a plate and start again."

I nodded, never taking my eye off the pancake and chewing my bottom lip in concentration.

By the last blini, I had really got the hang of it. They were perfectly golden, and they were no longer getting scrunched when I flipped them!

Dimitri had set the table with different bowls of fruit and jam to add.

I smiled to myself proudly as I added the last blini to the pile and brought the plate over to the table.

"Don't forget to turn off the pan," Dimitri chuckled. I groaned, hurrying over to turn everything off.

Dimitri sat down opposite me, staring at the feast in contentment.

"This looks delicious, Roza."

I smiled at him brightly. "Maybe you'll make a Russian cook out of me yet."

"Mama would be proud." He said, looking at me affectionately.

We both started piling our blini with different toppings. Dimitri rolled his eyes when I reached for the chocolate sauce, burying my blini in it.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked, distracting him from a near-certain lecture on how chocolate wasn't breakfast. "I can't believe we leave for Russia tomorrow!"

He grinned at me. "I know - it came around so quickly! We will be married in a few days..." He gave me a tender look, which I returned. "I'll probably pack at some point soon so I can be out of you and Lissa's way when she comes to help you pack."

I nodded. "Probably a good idea. Heaven knows what Lissa has planned... I feel like I might need to remind her that, while the jet doesn't have baggage limits, our honeymoon flights will." He chuckled before I continued. "Are you excited to go home?"

He gave a small smile, popping a bite of blini into his mouth.

"Very. I can't wait to show you around Moscow for a few days as well before the rest of our honeymoon."

"Any more hints about where that is exactly?" I asked, batting my eyelids at him.

He shook his head and touched his nose.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to figure it out at the airport anyway. And I don't know how to pack for mystery!"

"Lissa knows. She'll make sure it's appropriate."

* * *

The doorbell rang and I moved from my spot cuddled up on the couch against Dimitri.

I opened the door to find Lissa, arriving to 'help me pack'. I looked at her in confusion, her arms were _full_ of shopping bags.

"Am I helping you pick out outfits too?"

She shook her head, grinning at me. "I couldn't help myself. You have _no _clothes that were appropriate! I mean, you only own jeans and t-shirts for crying out loud!"

I stared at her in amazement. "Lissa... You did not have to do that! You already insisted on buying my wedding dress _and _supplying the Royal jet for everyone to use!"

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up and say thank you."

I pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you, Liss. You really didn't have to do that."

She pulled back to look at me, grinning. "Let me show you what I bought."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the bedroom, yelling a "Hey Dimitri!" over her shoulder as she went.

I looked over to see Dimitri giving me an amused glance over the top of his book.

Lissa burst into the bedroom and pulled out my suitcase from the closet, placing it on the bed.

"Alright," she said, her tone all business. "First thing's first. Wedding dress. You _cannot_ forget that."

I nodded, "Let's put it in the suitcase now then."

Lissa stared at me in horror for a long moment.

"Rose. This piece of _art _is not going in a _suitcase_! This baby is getting its own seat on the plane! If it could get it its own freaking jet I totally would. Just don't forget to take it with your stuff tomorrow. Get Dimitri to carry it so it doesn't drag on the floor. But remember - do _not _let him sneak a peak."

I chuckled but nodded nonetheless, "Noted."

She started rifling through the bags, moving at an incredibly impressive speed for a Moroi.

"This stuff will do you for both your honeymoon and for the days before the wedding, so it doesn't really matter what order we pack it. I know you're hopelessly messy so I got you these packing cubes. See?" She pulled out several zipped cubes to show to me. "That way you can find stuff easier. A different colour for each different type of clothing."

I nodded, picking one up. "That's really helpful, Liss. Thank you."

She smiled and placed them out on the bed, shooing me out of the way.

"Okay! Orange – tops. Blue – bottoms. Green – Underwear. Yellow – dresses." She started pulling out the clothes to show me. The first item was a beautiful loose flowy dress in an array of exotic colours. I looked at it in amazement; it was a dress for a dessert princess. It would suit my skin tone perfectly.

"It'll be summer, so I got you a lot of loose-fitting and cotton clothes so you'll be comfortable," Lissa explained.

She continued to pull out different items of clothing for every conceivable occasion. I carefully sorted them into their allotted cubes - thanking her every step of the way. She pulled out a couple of bikinis that I really liked the look of and I raised my eyebrows at what followed. Lissa pulled out a few _very _sexy lingerie sets; so sexy that they made even Rose Hathaway blush. Lissa laughed at my expression.

"Heaven knows when the last time you went bra shopping for something other than a sports bra was."

I chuckled, she wasn't wrong. Dimitri would appreciate these. Especially the red set...

When we were finally finished I stared at the cubes in amazement. Lissa had brought so much! I'd never owned this many different items of clothing before.

"Wow, Lissa. Thank you. Honestly."

She smiled and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm so happy for you, Rose."

As she pulled away she reached into a bag at her feet.

"I also got you a couple of pairs of shoes." She pulled out a pair of comfortable looking sandals and a pair of simple white closed in shoes. "These should cover most occasions." She reached down and pulled out another pair of _beautiful _strappy heels. "Plus these for anything fancier."

I shook my head in amazement. "You really thought of everything."

She grinned, "I know. The last cube is for workout gear. I figured that was the one department where you wouldn't need any shopping?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No, definitely covered in that department."

She squealed, jumping up and down. "Yay! Then you just add that, toiletries and makeup and you're done! But –"

"I know," I laughed. "Don't forget the wedding dress."

She grinned. "Good. The shoes are in the bag attached."

I shook my head in wonder. "What would I do without you, Lissa? You've almost singlehandedly organised this wedding. There was barely anything left for Dimitri and me to do!"

She shrugged her delicate shoulders. "I'm the maid of honour. It's my job. Now... Finish packing and then rest up and enjoy one of your last nights as Ms Rose Hathaway!" She winked at me before turning to the door.

I stared after her, stunned.

_One of my last nights as Rose Hathaway..._

* * *

**There you go! I hope you enjoyed this little moment between Rose and Dimitri. **

**Wedding time now! Can you guys guess where they're going on their honeymoon? What sort of wedding dress do you imagine Rose wearing?**

**Don't forget to review :) **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey! Sorry for the wait, I just wasn't happy with this chapter when I wrote it so I kept fixing it until I was. I hope you like the finished product – it's quite a long chapter to make up for the wait. **

**Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews. Especially guest – that is such a high compliment and you kicked my butt into gear to get this finished! I put a lot of effort into these and I'm glad you're enjoying them so much.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much :)**

* * *

**RPOV**

"Roza, are you almost ready?"

Dimitri popped his head around the bedroom door, pulling up short as he stared incredulously at the mess surrounding me.

I rolled my eyes as I pulled my leggings on. "It's a private plane, comrade. I promise you, they're not leaving without us."

Dimitri smiled, entering the room and quickly beginning to pick up the towel and workout gear that were thrown on the floor haphazardly.

"I know, sorry. I'm just excited."

I chuckled. "I know. You practically ran laps around me at the gym."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek on his way over to the laundry hamper.

"I can't believe I'm going home again. It's been too long. I wish we could visit more often."

I nodded, looking at him sympathetically. Dimitri missed Russia and his family so much. He didn't like to show it, but I know he was often homesick.

My phone buzzed and I glanced at it quickly. It was from Lissa - the fourth gentle reminder today not to forget my wedding dress.

"I couldn't even if I tried," I muttered under my breath.

I took one final look around the room, trying to shake that annoying feeling that I was forgetting something before I zipped up my suitcase.

"Ready, comrade?"

He nodded, picking up my suitcase to carry for me.

I shook my head.

"Nuh-uh. You're on dress duty," I said, pointing towards the garment bag that hung in the closet. "Don't drop it or Lissa will be on a warpath that even I couldn't save you from."

He approached the bag slowly, studying it closely as if he thought he could see its contents through sheer concentration and willpower alone.

"Don't even think about it!" I yelled when I saw his eyes flit towards the zipper.

He chuckled but nonetheless complied, draping it over his shoulder and grabbing his suitcase with his other hand.

We made our way to the runway, enjoying the fresh summer air as Dimitri hurried me along in excitement.

It was 8:30 in the morning, meaning late in the Moroi evening. We were swapping to a human schedule when we landed in Russia, so it made sense to fly now and land tomorrow morning in Russian time.

As we approached the jet I saw that most of our guests had already arrived.

I spotted Adrian and Sydney first. They were cooing over Declan while Daniella stood off to the side, chatting with Alberta and my mom. Abe was already in Russia for business, so he was meeting us at the hotel.

Declan let out an excited squeal when he saw us, reaching towards us with his little arms. My heart always fluttered when I saw him... when I saw with my own eyes what was possible for Dimitri and myself. Declan's birth was our little miracle. Our very own immaculate conception.

To the side Mia, Ambrose, Jill and Eddie were chatting excitedly, whilst Sonya and Mikhail were cuddled up and looking at each other lovingly.

Eddie grinned when he saw us, running over to encase me in a bear hug. He slapped Dimitri on the back, giving him one of those manly half hugs while I looked on in amusement. I loved how close Dimitri had gotten with my friends. Dimitri was even having Eddie, Christian and Adrian as his groomsmen, along with Mikhail.

"Any hints on the destination yet?" Eddie asked, glancing between us excitedly.

I smiled, shaking my head with an evil grin and Eddie groaned.

"You know I hate surprises."

"You'll find out soon enough," Dimitri said, patting him on the shoulder.

We had kept the destination of our wedding a secret and the guest list very small, at fewer than 30 people. It was for security reasons; with Lissa attending, we couldn't be too cautious. She was already a target because of her name, and her status as Queen had only intensified that threat. There were also 15 guardians that were flying to Russia to guard the wedding. Abe had sent one of his private jets to fly them separately though, seeing as our jet was already mostly full.

"Don't worry," I consoled Eddie. "You're not alone. I still have no idea where our honeymoon is."

"Oh, at least I'm in on that one then." Eddie laughed. "Don't worry, you'll love it."

I stared at Dimitri in disbelief. "Eddie knows and I don't?"

Dimitri shrugged, looking at me apologetically. "I wanted his advice. He and Lissa have known you the longest."

Lissa and Christian arrived then, flanked by five guardians who would be taking off with the rest of the guard just after us. Lissa's eyes zoned in on Dimitri holding the wedding dress before she gave me a thumbs up and a wink.

I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "With your constant reminders, I'd sooner forget my own head!" I called out to her.

With the last of our guests having arrived, the crew opened up the jet doors and ushered us on board. Dimitri's hand squeezed mine tightly and I looked over to see him grinning down at me from ear to ear. I smiled, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer to me.

"Let's go get married, comrade."

We all boarded the plan, getting comfortable in our seats and stowing our carry on luggage. When everyone was settled and the plane doors closed Dimitri and I stood, demanding everyone's attention.

"Hey everyone!" I announced as they all turned to face me, smiling up at me in excitement. "So I'm very happy that we can now announce the destination of our wedding... We will be wed in a small church, just outside of Dimitri's hometown in Russia."

The announcement was met with excited murmurs from our guests. I gave an evil grin before I continued on.

"So it's a 15-hour flight. And then just under a 7-hour drive."

I chuckled darkly when I heard that excited buzz turn into the collective groan.

"You're twisted, Hathaway!" Adrian called out at my happy expression, causing the entire plane to laugh.

I smiled again. "Luckily for us, Lissa has supplied the Royal jet. There are beds at the back for anyone who needs to lie down and rest."

"I think those have been claimed by the oldies," Alberta called out, while Janine and Daniella nodded in agreement. "You young people can handle the recliner chairs."

I chuckled. "Okay, oldies get the beds." I gave a cheeky grin in Dimitri's direction. "I guess I'll see you when we land then, comrade?"

Adrian, Eddie and Christian burst out laughing while Dimitri shot a glare in my direction. I instantly felt bad. Those jokes seemed to be hitting a nerve the closer Dimitri got to 30.

"Love you," I said. I smiled up at him sweetly before I lowered my voice into a stage whisper. "Don't worry. You're still a stud."

I kissed him on the cheek and Christian made a gagging sound.

"Okay! Everyone please sit back, relax and enjoy." I said, dragging Dimitri with me back to our seats.

We were sat with Adrian and Sydney opposite us and Lissa and Christian across the aisle. As we settled in I got my first up-close look at Adrian and Sydney.

"Well you guys look like crap."

"Roza!" Dimitri said, his eyes flickering to Declan as he bounced happily on Sydney's lap.

Adrian chuckled. "We feel like it too. Declan was too excited last night for his first overseas trip. He refused to go to sleep!"

Sydney nodded, her eyes drooping as she tried in vain to hold Declan still.

"Did you want me to look after him while you got some sleep?" Dimitri offered.

Sydney shot him a look like he'd just offered her a million dollars.

"Are you sure? He can be a handful."

Dimitri nodded. "I have nephews and nieces. It's no trouble. Really."

"Thank you. You're a lifesaver." Sydney said, smiling appreciatively as she heaved Declan over the table and towards Dimitri's waiting arms.

Adrian handed me Declan's bag of entertainment, looking just as grateful.

"Uncle Deetree!" Declan squawked, reaching up and hugging Dimitri tightly around his neck.

"Jeesh Dec!" Adrian called out sarcastically, "I've told you to call him uncle Russian Warlord like a hundred times now." He rolled his eyes and gave me a dry look. "What's the point of having a kid if you can't exploit him shamelessly for material?"

I laughed and Dimitri and Sydney shook their heads, both only cracking a small smile at Adrian's antics. Adrian gave Declan one last loving look before he settled back into his seat, his head rolling back and mouth falling lax almost instantly. Sydney pulled out a pillow and eye mask before also settling in. Both of them were snoring lightly within minutes.

I turned back towards Dimitri and Declan where they sat, Declan balanced carefully on one of Dimitri's knees. Dimitri had pulled out a colouring book and crayons and they had begun colouring. I watched in amusement as Declan covered the entire page in erratic lines, whilst Dimitri meticulously shaded his picture of a tiger, completely focused on the task at hand.

I rolled my eyes. "Live life on the wild side a little, comrade. Go crazy... colour outside the lines."

Dimitri didn't respond to my sarcasm other than to meet my gaze. As he held it, he drew a very deliberate line outside of the cat's shape.

I gasped in mock horror.

"Did you see that Dec? The world as we know it is coming to an end!"

I reached out and tickled him and he burst out laughing, thrashing his arms around and accidentally drawing a massive purple line right through Dimitri's tiger.

Dimitri shot me a dirty look and I chuckled.

"My bad, comrade," I said, meeting his gaze and blowing him a kiss.

"Aunty Ro-Ro!" Declan called out, demanding my attention again.

I shifted my gaze to find him turning to a new page of his colouring book.

"You go."

I nodded, pulling Declan onto my lap as I moved the book in front of me. _Jeez, he's getting heavy_.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the picture.

Declan thought hard for a moment before replying. "Fish! Yum, yum."

I chuckled. "What colour should we make him?"

"Yellow!"

I nodded again, picking up the yellow crayon and beginning to colour, making a big point of colouring outside of the lines.

After colouring half the book and a game of 'I spy' Declan finally started to fall asleep in my lap, the days of excitement finally catching up to him.

I picked him up carefully and carried him to the empty row behind us. I brushed his hair back as I lay him across the seats before carefully strapping him in and covering him with a blanket.

I came back to my seat to find Dimitri staring at me, smiling.

"What?"

"You're quite good with him."

I smirked. "I know - I'm the coolest. Watch out, I'm quickly overtaking you as the favourite. I've also smuggled in American candy for Paul, Zoya and Katya so say goodbye to your favourite uncle status."

He shook his head in exasperation. "You didn't! They'll be bouncing off the walls for hours. We cannot give future generations your eating habits."

I scoffed, "I'm not that bad."

He shook his head, smiling as he kissed my cheek tenderly.

"No, you're amazing. Raising a child just like you would make me the happiest man in the world."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the little flutter in my stomach when Dimitri spoke like that.

"Do you think you can handle that, comrade? I'm quite a handful."

"Always," he said, kissing my forehead. "Now, let's get some sleep."

It was dark in the cabin now, with the window blinds down and most of the guests either asleep or watching movies.

I nodded, pulling out a pillow and resting it against Dimitri's shoulder as he reclined next to me.

* * *

We landed in Omsk some 15 hours later after a quick refuel. Dimitri had been excitedly staring out the window the entire decent, pointing out landmarks to me.

We were all relatively well-rested. The jet was so spacious and comfortable that we had all managed at least a good few hours of shut-eye. Poor Sydney and Adrian had been so exhausted they had slept almost the entire flight. Daniella had taken over Declan duty for the second half of the flight while they rested.

As we disembarked, four large cars were waiting on the runway for us. Abe had organised the 8-seaters for the drive to Baia. We had planned the seating in advance to maximise guardians in each vehicle. Each car would have four guests and four court guardians from the other flight. Even though we were travelling in daylight, every precaution was being taken. I knew from experience that the sun didn't necessarily mean safety.

Dimitri and I were riding with Lissa and Christian, as well as four members of the Royal Guard.

After the guardians completed their final perimeter check we took off. Lissa and Christian joined Dimitri in staring out the window at the sights excitedly. Neither of them had visited Russia before.

"It's so much greener than I imagined," Lissa said, staring out the window in awe as we left the city and started on the long road towards Baia.

"Yes, Siberia isn't the arctic wasteland many people imagine," Dimitri replied, giving me a dry look.

"I don't know," I said, smiling at him sweetly. "I'm pretty sure I saw a polar bear or two last time we were here."

Dimitri rolled his eyes but didn't bother correcting me. He'd long since given up on his crusade against my stereotyping of his homeland.

We passed the time by playing music. Lissa had her phone plugged into the aux cord and we each took turns picking a song to play. It was comical the difference between Dimitri and I's music selection.

After the fourth 80s song in a row, I groaned.

"I'm really regretting letting you pick our first dance song now. I so don't want our first dance to be to disco."

My heart surged with hope when he replied, "The song I picked isn't from the 80s."

That hope came crashing back down when the realisation hit.

"Oh Vlad, it's older than that isn't it?"

Dimitri just smiled, ignoring my complaints.

"Don't worry Rose," Christian chimed in. "He ran it past me and I think it's great."

I rolled my eyes. "Coming from the guy who just picked _Gangnam Style, _that's not really giving me the intended comfort."

* * *

After what felt like an eternity of travel we finally pulled up to the hotel. It was late afternoon and we were all feeling weary after almost a full day of travelling.

The guardians told us to wait in the car as they did a quick permitter check and checked over the wards that Abe's guardian's had put in place this morning.

As we stepped into the lobby I couldn't help but smile. This was perfect. It was a small and very charming bed and breakfast type place. To the left of the lobby was a cosy looking library containing couches and love seats. To the right was a charming little dining room. It was already set up for us to have dinner, seeing as we were the only guests. The place only had 15 rooms, so the old man had insisted on just renting the entire place out. He'd _insisted_ on paying for a lot of things. It was a lovely gesture, and we really appreciated how determined he was to make this weekend special, but Dimitri and I had to put our foot down quite a lot when his ideas got too lavish. It wasn't our style.

After organising to meet in the dining room for an early dinner before bed, we all split up into our rooms to freshen up.

Abe had organised the nicest room in the place for us and it didn't disappoint. It had such a homey feel; the fire burning to combat the crisp summer evening air added the perfect touch.

I stared at the huge bed in longing.

"I never thought I'd say this... but should we skip dinner and just sleep?"

Dimitri chuckled, grabbing me from behind and kissing my hair softly.

"We both know you won't make it through the night if we don't feed you now."

I scoffed in mock offence, but we both knew he was probably right.

After a quick shower, we headed down to the dining room, both dressed in our track pants and ready to go straight to bed afterwards. It was a very early dinner, but we all needed a good nights sleep before the rehearsal lunch tomorrow.

We settled in amongst our other guests, everyone looking exhausted from a long 24 hours. Sydney and Adrian were absent, they had decided to stay in their room with Declan and order room service so that he could sleep.

The dining room had a mixture of Russian and Western foods laid out buffet style for us to choose from. My stomach growled loudly at all the options, earning an amused chuckle from our guests. It all looked and smelt so good that I couldn't decide! In the end, I piled a bowl full of Beef Stroganoff and grabbed plenty of slices of pepperoni pizza onto a separate plate.

As I sat down beside Dimitri and began shovelling in the dishes he gave me a bemused look.

"What?" I mumbled between mouthfuls as I took alternating bites of my meals. "It's just like our marriage, the blending of cultures."

An hour later we returned to our room, me complaining the whole way.

"Why did you let me eat so much, comrade? I feel sick."

Dimitri chuckled from his spot in bed, pulling the sheets back to let me in. I crawled over to him and snuggled up against his chest.

"I can't believe this is our last night together before the wedding." Dimitri marvelled, pulling me close against him.

I squeezed him tightly at that realisation. We had decided to spend the night before the wedding apart; Dimitri would stay with his family while I stayed at the hotel with Lissa and had a girl's night.

"I'd proposition you for one last round of sinful sex before our holy matrimony but I think I'd be sick." I moaned, causing Dimitri to laugh.

"We always have tomorrow morning." He said, giving my hip a playful squeeze.

I nodded, yawning and laying back onto my pillow.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

The next morning we got room service in bed and Dimitri delivered on his promise of some _very _sinful sex. I felt surprisingly well-rested, and not at all jetlagged. Although the 14-hour sleep probably helped! This bed was amazingly comfortable.

After a few hours lounging in bed, we reluctantly got up to shower and start getting ready for lunch.

I showered first so I that had time to blow dry my hair and get ready. As I dried it I decided to keep it out in loose waves just like Dimitri liked. I kept my makeup minimal; it had been so long since I'd worn much that I didn't know how to do anything else anymore.

Lissa had helped me pick out a classic white cocktail dress that was strapless and sat just below my knee. It hugged my figure perfectly. I smiled happily in the mirror as I donned my heels, leaning on the bed for support.

Dimitri emerged from the shower wearing nothing but a towel over his hips and looking very delectable with droplets of water still splattering his chest.

"You look stunning, Roza." He said, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek, skilfully avoiding my lip gloss.

"Not so bad yourself," I winked, ogling his bare chest.

He chuckled. "Well unfortunately I'll be a little more dressed than this for lunch."

I pouted, giving his naked torso one last yearning look before he pulled on a shirt.

He dressed quickly, pulling on beige chinos and a white button-up and leaving his hair out just like I loved. I repressed a sigh, Dimitri made anything look good, but the sight of him dressed up was beyond sexy.

When Dimitri was finished getting dressed we made our way down to the lobby, hand in hand.

Our guests were all ready and waiting for us, looking dapper and dressed up to the nines. Declan looked particularly cute in little chinos and a navy blazer.

The old man must have arrived last night or this morning. I gave him a wave as I saw him standing next to mom, chatting animatedly.

When he saw us approach he grinned, walking over and pulling me into a tight hug.

"You look gorgeous," he murmured in my ear and I pulled back and smiled at him.

"Thanks for organising all this, old man. It really is perfect."

"Yes, thank you, Abe." Dimitri said, reaching out to shake his hand. Abe chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled Dimitri into a bear hug.

"You're part of the family now, Dimitri."

We all piled into the cars and made the short drive to the restaurant. I wasn't sure where we were eating, Abe had insisted on keeping it as a surprise.

As we arrived at the restaurant I stared in amazement. He had rented out the balcony of a restaurant overlooking a beautiful lake; the one Dimitri had talked about often visiting as a child. The balcony was completely empty but for a very long table, already set for our guests and beautifully decorated.

We stepped out on the balcony to find the Belikovs had already arrived. Paul launched himself at Dimitri and then me as the rest of the family made their way over to us.

"You look beautiful, Roza," Olena said kindly, pulling me into a tight embrace. "I heard you made some excellent blini the other day?"

I looked over to find Dimitri staring at me proudly.

"It was delicious, mama. Just like yours."

I chuckled. "Don't get your expectations too high."

"I love your dress!" Vika exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.

I had just finished hugging the Belikov sisters, relaying details of our travels when I heard an angry Russian tone.

I turned towards the sound to find Yeva scolding Dimitri as he pulled her into a careful hug.

He apologised profusely as she stared on, looking completely unimpressed.

I gave Vika a questioning look and she laughed.

"She's complaining he took too long to marry you. She said she's surprised she's not in the ground already."

I chortled, staring at Yeva in amusement. No one else could make my Russian god look so sheepish.

She waved me over impatiently, cutting off Dimitri's apology mid-sentence.

I scurried over, leaning to give her a hug when she pulled my hand roughly in front of her face instead.

She studied the ring for a long moment as we waited nervously for her approval. It had been her ring, after all.

She said nothing, nodding once as we all let out a collective breath. It was the closest to approval we'd probably get.

Oksana and Mark came over next, hugging us both tightly and congratulating us. We chatted for a moment before I introduced them formally to Sonya, Lissa, Adrian and Jill. They had all had several phone conversations over the years, but they were yet to meet in person.

The six were instantly enamoured with one another, pulling up seats next to one another at the long table and falling into a deep discussion about spirit.

I turned to see that the Belikov sisters had immediately hit it off with Mia, Sydney, Ambrose and Eddie. They were chatting excitedly and asking question after question about life in America.

I watched my mother nervously as I saw Abe officially introduce her to Olena in my peripheral vision. I know my mom had never been openly supportive of Dimitri and my relationship, but I hoped she could put that behind her now and get to love the Belikovs as I did. I was thankful when Mikhail joined the conversation; I knew he could act as a buffer in case things got awkward. But so far she seemed to be acting perfectly pleasantly, much to my relief.

I was pulled out of my observations as a couple I hadn't met before approached Dimitri and myself.

Dimitri stepped forward, pulling them both into a tight hug as they spoke with one another quietly in Russian.

The woman pulled back after a moment, glancing behind Dimitri to look at me.

"You must be Rose," she said, smiling at me kindly. "I'm Maria and this is Aleksandr. It's so great to finally meet you."

Recognition shot through me upon hearing their names. They were Ivan's parents. Dimitri had mentioned that he had invited them, but hadn't said whether or not they were attending. I was glad they were here, it would mean a lot to Dimitri to have a connection to his best friend here.

"It's lovely to meet you," I replied, turning to shake Aleksandr's hand. "Dimitri has told me so many wonderful things about you."

"Likewise," Aleksandr said. His voice was an incredibly deep baritone and he smiled at me warmly.

"We're so glad he's finally found you," Maria said. "Ivan would always joke that Dimitri would marry his job. You must be a very special lady to have caught his eye."

I looked up at Dimitri as he smiled at the memory, pulling me closer.

"She is. Very, very special."

We all turned at the sound of Abe clinking his glass, before making our way over to the table and taking our seats.

"Thank you all for coming," Abe said, standing with his glass of champagne as we all fell silent around him.

"I haven't had the pleasure of knowing my daughter for long... but she has far surpassed anything I could have asked for in a daughter. I'm honoured, as I'm sure all of you are, to be a part of this special day." He turned slightly, meeting Dimitri's eye as he continued. "I certainly didn't make it easy for you at first Dimitri," he said, earning a few chuckles from the guests and a concerned look from the Belikovs. "But you've proved time and time again that you are the perfect partner to my daughter. Thank you for making her happy." He paused, an evil glint in his eye as he continued, "I have it on good authority that you will continue to do so."

Dimitri swallowed and I elbowed Abe, whispering, "That's enough, old man."

Abe chuckled but complied with my request, raising his glass.

"To the happy couple."

"To the happy couple!" Everyone cheered, clinking their glasses together before taking a sip. The champagne was good. Like, really good. I didn't want to think about how much money the old man would have splashed on champagne alone.

Abe clapped his hands and a sea of waiters appeared, setting scores of incredible looking dishes down in the middle of the table.

I chuckled. "You've got an eye for theatrics, old man."

He grinned, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Like father like daughter. What do you think of the restaurant?"

I smiled, patting him on the shoulder.

"You did good. Thank you again."

He nodded, taking another sip of champagne and turning towards the feast in front of him.

"Dig in, kid. I ordered enough to feed an army in anticipation of your appetite."

Dimitri chuckled next to me. I ignored him - I didn't need to be told twice! I filled up my plate with as much food as it could physically handle.

"Save some for the rest of us!" Christian called out across the table and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"It's my wedding, Sparky. If you're not nice to me I'll ask Lissa to make you sleep on the couch as a wedding favour."

Lissa smiled and nodded, patting Christian on the cheek.

"Careful, babe. She's right, I would have to do it."

* * *

I woke up to the feeling of the sun streaming on my face. I rolled over with a smile. Yesterday had been perfect. The lunch rolled over into the late afternoon, with everyone eating, drinking and laughing. I was sure to stick to only a few glasses of champagne, the last thing I needed was to be hung-over today. Then, after Dimitri had gone home with his family, Lissa and I had enjoyed the perfect pre-wedding night together. We had tucked up in bed wearing ridiculous facemasks while we watched every chick flick known to mankind and stuffed our faces with popcorn. It had been the perfect last night as Rose Hathaway, spent with the person who knew her best.

"Good, you're up!" I heard Lissa call from above me.

I looked up to see Lissa fully ready, with her hair and makeup finished. I sat up in alarm.

"What time is it? Did I oversleep?"

She shook her head. "We've got plenty of time, don't worry. I just got ready early so we can focus on you for the next couple of hours."

She made a quick phone call and ushered me into the shower, telling me to wash my hair and shave _everywhere_.

By the time I emerged from the shower Ambrose had arrived. He and Lissa were chatting excitedly near the vanity.

"Sleeping beauty awakes," Ambrose joked, pulling me into a tight hug.

He escorted me into a chair in the centre of the room and pulled out a black box filled with different colours of nail polish.

"What colour are we feeling today?"

I considered the box for a long moment, eventually pointing to a pale pink colour.

"Let's keep it neutral."

He nodded. "Good idea."

As he got to work, Lissa started behind me, brushing out my hair.

"Are we still wearing it out?"

I nodded. It was Dimitri's favourite.

I closed my eyes as they got to work, trying not to let the nerves get the best of me as they started fluttering chaotically in my stomach.

Lissa and Ambrose let me be, gossiping happily over my head about the latest court gossip. I focused on my breathing and went to my happy place, imagining the next two weeks of just Dimitri and me in our mystery honeymoon location.

After what felt like an eternity of primping, I was ready to get into my dress. It was a beautifully intricate lace dress that hugged my figure before it fanned out at the bottom. Lissa had paired it with a simple pair of strappy heels. Lord knows I needed the extra height around Dimitri.

When I was fully dressed Lissa turned me in front of the mirror and I got my first proper look at my reflection.

I didn't have words.

Lissa proudly held up a mirror behind my head, showing me the back of my hair. It was left out and wavy as I had requested, but she had taken a small part and twisted it up at the back. It looked stunning, and she had placed little sprigs of baby's breath throughout the braid.

I leaned in closer, getting a better look at my makeup. Lissa had done my makeup very simply, playing with my natural tan to make a dewy, bronzed look.

"Wow..." I said, staring at myself for a moment longer in the mirror. "Thank you, Liss."

She grinned, raking her eyes over me. "It is my masterpiece."

I smiled, taking a shaky breath. _Holy shit. This is happening. I'm in a wedding dress._

Seeming to sense my sudden onslaught of panic Lissa pulled me towards the table, pulling out a couple of champagne flutes and popping a bottle from the minibar.

"To calm the nerves," she said, giving me a wink.

I smiled in appreciating, clinking my glass against hers as we both took big sips.

We sat in silence for a few moments before there was a knock on the door. Lissa opened it to reveal my mom and dad had arrived. She stepped aside and ushered them inside. As they entered they stopped short at the sight of me.

"That bad is it?" I joked.

Abe shook out of his daze first, dabbing his eyes with his bright yellow pocket scarf.

"You look..." He trailed off, his eyes raking over me, apparently at a loss for words.

"Breathtaking," Lissa finished for him, grinning.

She handed me my bouquet of sunflowers, roses and baby's breath.

"It's time!"

* * *

**I know, I've been promising the wedding for so long now! But it really is the next chapter. What do we think, should I do RPOV or DPOV?**

**Here is how I picture Rose's wedding dress:**

/lorie-2019-summer-mermaid-wedding-dresses-lace-appliques-bridal-gowns-lace-wedding-dresses-custom-made-plus-size/


	14. Chapter 14 - The Wedding Pt 1

**After 13 chapters it's finally here! I've always been a fan of the slow burn haha.**

**I hope that you all enjoy this and the wait has been worth it.**

* * *

I rolled over with a groan. It felt like I had been awake for hours, unable to turn my mind off.

I checked the clock – 4:17 am. With a huff, I heaved myself out of bed and donned my workout gear. Maybe a run would help me clear my head.

I stepped out into the fresh morning air, taking a deep breath and setting my watch before I set out on the familiar route through the woods. I must have run this route a thousand times throughout my childhood, and over weekends and holidays as I got older.

I tried not to think of the day ahead, only focusing on the steady sound of my breathing in and out, as a set a brisk pace. I really pushed myself, focusing only on the sounds of my breathing, as it grew increasingly ragged. I ran until my legs felt like jelly beneath me. Eventually, my lungs began to scream in protest and I finally pulled to a stop. I bent over with my hands on my knees, gasping for breath. It had been a very long time since I pushed myself this hard. With a smile, I remembered when I'd first started training Rose. She'd been sick almost every time I made her run. But she'd improved remarkably quickly, in no time she could keep pace with me despite our height difference.

Rose...

I sighed as the familiar flutter of nerves returned in my stomach. _Okay, time to head back home_.

I returned slowly, stretching and cooling down as I went.

It was just after 6 o'clock when I opened the front door to find mama in the kitchen, already up and cooking.

"Morning mama."

"Morning Dimka. You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Nerves or jet lag?"

I shrugged my shoulders, running a hand through my hair. Mama gave me a knowing smile.

"Why don't you take a shower and then you can help me cook? Just like we used to."

"Okay, mama," I said, kissing her swiftly on the cheek as she returned to kneading the dough.

I showered quickly, dressing in comfortable clothes before making my way back down to the kitchen. I got to work beside mama without a word. Thankfully she didn't push me, and we worked in comfortable silence.

She had spent the last few days cooking furiously, and the fridge already was stocked with every Russian food imaginable: borscht, zharkoye, shashlik, olivye, knish, pirozhki, mushroom julienne, pickled vegetables, caviar and golubtsy.

This morning was for preparing things she wanted more freshly made, like black bread, pelmeni and khachapuri.

"Did you figure out how we're getting all this food to the venue?" I asked.

Mama nodded, carefully shaping the black bread dough into a ball.

"One of Abe's guardians is going to pick it up and set it all up in serving and chaffing dishes. It's very kind of him to organise that for me."

I nodded, focusing on kneading the dough for the khachapuri.

"Is he good to you? I know his reputation, I worry that he gives you a hard time."

I gave a small smile. "At first, he didn't make my life easy. But he's come around to the idea of Roza and me. He's been most generous throughout the entire wedding process."

She considered my words deeply as we fell into another comfortable silence. After a while, she spoke again.

"I just hate to think of people judging you and making life difficult for you and Roza. Everyone has a right to be with the one they love."

I shrugged, "I guess I've just come to accept the fact that there will always be people who disapprove of my relationship with Roza. I knew that when I chose to be with her. I can't get upset when I've already made the decision a long time ago that she's worth the criticism and disapproval."

She nodded, placing her hand over mine. "I'm very proud of you, Dimka. There's honour in fighting for love. I'm sorry that our world has made it so hard for you, but I am so glad you have found your happiness."

I gave her hand a small squeeze in acknowledgement before we both returned to work.

* * *

By midday, we were all but finished cooking and mama shooed me away, telling me to get showered and ready.

An hour later we were all downstairs and ready to go to the church. Vika had already left to go and meet Roza and the other bridesmaids. My heart fluttered in anticipation of seeing her.

"You look beautiful, mama," I said, appraising her dress before leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.

She smiled up at me kindly, before turning to the sound of Katya squawking. She hurried over, pinching Zoya and Katya's cheeks affectionately.

"How are my two favourite granddaughters? You're both looking very beautiful."

I chuckled as they stopped their fidgeting and stared adoringly at my mama. She had always had a way with children.

Abe had leant us one of his 8-seaters to get to the church. After organising the booster seats and getting the girls settled, I hopped behind the wheel. Paul called shotgun and hopped in next to me. I gave him a dry smile; I had a feeling his seating was less to do with spending time with me, and more to do with escaping his sister and niece.

We arrived at the church after only a ten-minute drive. We entered to find Mikhail, Eddie, Christian and Adrian already there and waiting for me.

"Big day Belikov," Mikhail said, slapping me on the shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," I muttered, glancing around the church. It has already been set up for our guests and was just what Roza and I had wanted, quaint and warm. Even with my looking around I didn't miss the glances exchanged between my groomsmen.

"What?"

Adrian stepped forward, meeting my gaze carefully. "You alright, man? You seem... rattled. It's a new look for you."

I fidgeted with my tie, making sure it was perfectly straight.

"I'm fine."

Adrian shook his head in amusement. "You know, it's perfectly normal to feel nervous on your wedding day. I know you can take out an army of Strigoi armed with nothing but a toothpick without breaking a sweat, but it's okay to feel nervous. I mean..." he paused, his eyebrows furrowing, "On my wedding day I was nervous as hell... but that was because Sydney and I were being hunted down by a bunch of crazy Alchemists..." he turned to the group, looking for assistance, "But I'm sure Mikhail can vouch for it!"

Mikhail nodded, stepping forward in line with Adrian. "I was a wreck. I've never been so nervous about anything in my life. I think I'd rather face a Strigoi."

I studied my shoes carefully. "You don't think I pushed her, do you? Does she even really want this?"

There was a moment of shocked silence, none of the men seeming to know how to respond to my show of vulnerability. _I guess it's not something you show often_, I thought to myself dryly.

"Give us a minute guys?" Adrian said, stepping in front of me completely. "Maybe go get us that vodka I bought."

They all nodded, quickly heading to the back of the church as Adrian dragged me to the side.

"Listen here. I've seen her aura around you. It lights up like the freaking Fourth of July. That's an American holiday by the way," he added with a smirk, "With fireworks."

I scowled at him. "I know what the Fourth of July is."

He chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Just making sure, Russian Warlord. Listen, the point is, you have nothing you need to worry about. I've seen it with my own eyes how much Rose loves you. Any love she might have felt for me, or anyone else for that matter, was but a flicker compared to a damn forest fire. She's the most ridiculously stubborn woman I've ever met in my life. If she didn't want to marry you, we wouldn't be here."

I nodded slowly, meeting his gaze as he gripped my shoulder.

"Thank you, Adrian."

He smirked. "What are cousins for?"

The others arrived back holding a very expensive looking bottle of Russian vodka.

"Bottoms up fellas," Christian said, before taking a massive sip. He immediately spluttered it everywhere. "Jesus Christ! What _is _that?"

I chuckled. "Russian vodka."

Eddie went next, taking a swig before swearing and gasping for breath. "That's so bad! What's wrong with you people?"

Adrian laughed. "It makes sense when you think about it. I mean, just look at Belikov. The man could probably drink this at five without flinching and then go off and wrestle a bear."

I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of vodka and swilling it around my mouth.

"This is good, Adrian."

He winked, grabbing the bottle from me and taking a massive swig. Of course, like me, he didn't even flinch. I raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

"Well practised."

Mikhail was last, taking a sip and pulling a face as he swallowed, swearing under his breath. I chuckled, grabbing the bottle and taking another sip.

"Alright!" Adrian called out, pulling me to him with his arm around my shoulders. "Let's get this Russian married."

We took our places at the front as guests started to slowly arrive. Paul was in charge of ushering them to their seats since he was too young to be in the groom's party. At 13, he was already starting to look like a man and was well over 6 foot.

"Christ," Adrian muttered, following my gaze. "What does your mother feed you?"

I chuckled. "You'll see after the ceremony. We always ate well."

I watched as Paul also led the guardians to their seats. Roza and I had insisted that they sit and enjoy the ceremony. They could stay alert, but there was likely no danger in a church in broad daylight, and we didn't want them to have to stand. I knew a lot of them personally; Rose and I worked with them every day. It was nice to be able to have them here to witness this moment.

As the church filled out with our guests, my eyes glanced over to the two seats front and centre that Roza and I had left empty in the memory of our two missing best friends.

_I wish you were here today, Ivan. I hope you're watching. Mason too._

As the final few guests arrived my nerves started to grow again. I shuffled, nervously running my hand through my hair as I stood, flanked by Christian, Eddie and Mikhail. Adrian stood next to me, his hand clamped on my shoulder as he gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Just think of Rose, man. The second you see her, this will all wash away."

I nodded, swallowing as I adjusted my pocket square.

I dropped my hands to my sides as the first few notes of _Turning Page _began to play. The crowd fell silent, turning to watch as Lissa emerged carrying a bouquet of roses, her slender frame sheathed in a dusty rose coloured, floor-length dress.

She made her way slowly, beaming with pride as she walked in time with the music. Sydney followed closely behind her, and then Vika. All three of them looked beautiful. I turned to see Adrian and Christian radiating love as the watched them.

It was then Declan's turn, the crowd let out a little murmur at the sight of him. He looked very adorable in a tiny tuxedo with his hair slicked back. We'd chosen him to be the ring bearer, not only because he was Sydney and Adrian's child, but also because of what his true parentage symbolised to Roza and I. He was a symbol of hope, a reminder that although our journey was long and difficult, some good had come from it.

I let out a laugh when I saw he was holding a briefcase with 'ring security' written on it. That had Roza written all over it.

In that second I saw my future: Roza, made only more beautiful by the years, playing with our children. They had her hair. And that same cheeky glint in their eyes. I stared at Declan as he handed the rings to the celebrant and my nerves completely faded away. Beyond all rhyme or reason, I was going to have it all. I was the luckiest man in the world.

"Well done buddy!" Adrian whispered as Sydney led him over to take his seat next to Daniella.

Sydney returned to her spot and I stood up straighter when I finally heard the opening piano chords of _Can't Help Falling in Love_. It was a newer rendition by Haley Reinhart that I'd picked to blend Roza and my's taste in music. The crowd stood and my breathing stopped when Roza stepped out, arm linked with Abe.

_Wise men say_

_Only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

It was as if the world ceased to be. All that existed in that moment was my Roza. She was the single most beautiful woman in the world. She always was, but today especially. Her skin was glowing, her eyes shining with love as she beamed at me.

I met Roza's gaze as everything else faded into the background. I returned her smile, my eyes shining with tears as the lyrics floated around us.

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin?_

_If I can't help falling in love with you_

I continued to hold her gaze, grinning from ear to ear. I'd dreamed of this moment for so long. After everything, all the setbacks and the mistakes, we'd somehow ended up here. I couldn't love her any more than I did at that moment. She fought so hard to bring me back to her. She'd forgiven me when I couldn't even forgive myself. I didn't deserve her love; it was too pure. But somehow, beyond all logic, she had given it to me. I would spend the rest of my life returning that love.

I resisted the urge to rush out and hold and kiss her as she approached. Finally, Abe reached over, putting her hand in mine and patting me on the shoulder. I held onto her like a lifeline, clinging to the love that was radiating off of her. As long as I had her, I would be okay.

_Take my hand_

_Take my whole life too_

We turned to face one another, gripping each other's hands tightly as we stared deeply into one another's eyes.

_For I can't help_

_Falling in love with you_

As the music faded into the background I gave Roza's hands a reassuring squeeze as she smiled at me, her eyes shining.

"You look so beautiful," I whispered, resisting the urge to lean down and kiss her. "So beautiful, it hurts me."

A single tear slipped down her cheek at the memory and I raised our hands to gently wipe it away.

"Good afternoon everyone," the celebrant announced, "please be seated."

I didn't move my gaze from Roza as our guests sat around us.

"On behalf of Rose and Dimitri, I would like to thank you all for being here this afternoon. For taking the time and making the journey, and for all the effort it takes – not only to be part of this day, but to be part of each other's lives.

"Having found each other, Rose and Dimitri have built the kind of relationship that will serve them well as the foundation of their marriage. Marriage is a bold step into an unknown future. It is risking who we are for the sake of who we can be. From everything I have come to understand about Rose and Dimitri's relationship, they emit this. They have spent their years together challenging, uplifting and supporting one another. In the face of unspeakable odds, they have fought for their love.

"In marriage, two lives are intimately shared; and the blending of the two must not diminish either one. Rather, it should enhance the individuality of each partner. Each of us knows that a marriage is not created by a law or a ceremony; rather it occurs in the hearts of two people. It grows out of loving, caring, and sharing ourselves with another. This ceremony is not magic, it will not create a relationship that does not already exist and has not already been celebrated in all the commitments Rose and Dimitri have made to each other, both large and small, in the days since they first met. So, in witnessing this ceremony today, we are observing only an outward sign of an inward union that already exists between Rose and Dimitri. This ceremony is a symbol of how far they have come together, and a symbol of the promise that they will make to each other to continue to love each other solely and above all others.

"At this time, Rose and Dimitri would like to take a moment to honour their loved ones who are not with us today. Please join me in a moment of silence in memory of Mason Ashford and Ivan Zeklos."

Roza and I both glanced towards the empty seats as the crowd bowed their heads in silence. My chest tightened and I gripped Roza's hands tightly in mine. She met my gaze, giving me a sad smile.

After a moment, the celebrant continued, "They would also like to acknowledge the sacrifice of all guardians who have fallen in the line of duty. In honour of their memory, we will continue their fight. May we one day know a world of peace."

We again took a moment of silence before the celebrant began the ceremony.

"Do you, Dimitri, take Rose to be your lawful wedded wife?

I smiled down at Roza, my heart fluttering as I gazed deeply into her eyes.

"I do."

"Do you, Rose, take Dimitri to be your lawful wedded husband?"

She smiled at me; her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I do."

"Now, Rose and Dimitri have chosen to write their own personal vows to one another today. Dimitri?"

I nodded, pulling out my little card with shaking hands.

"It wasn't love at first sight." I paused at the sound of chuckling from the audience. "But I promise, it is love for life. From the moment our paths crossed, you've captivated me, challenged me, frustrated me and improved me in ways no person has done before. I am forever changed because of who you are, and what you mean to me. And I have fallen in love with you more and more each day. Thank you for always seeing the best in me, even when I couldn't see it in myself. Thank you for having the strength to fight for our love, even when I was weak. Thank you for understanding so absolutely that our love is worth fighting for. Thank you for making me laugh - every single day. Roza... in front of everyone that we love, I promise that I will never give up again. I vow to work on myself, every day, to be a man worthy of your love. I vow to love you until my dying breath. I vow to hold on to that love through every stupid fight and setback and to never let it go. Most of all, I promise to be the man that I see now in your eyes, today, tomorrow and always."

Roza smiled at me, a tear escaping and streaming down her face as she reached out to grip my hands in hers. I pulled one of her hands up to my lips, kissing it gently.

She took a deep breath, releasing my hands as Lissa gave her the little card her vows were written on.

"Dimitri, what a long, and at times challenging, road it has been. But I wouldn't change even a second of it... just as I wouldn't change a single hair on your head. Comrade, thank you for everything you have taught me. With your support, you have helped me to become a calmer and more focused person - just as I have helped you to become a less serious and stringent one. We balance one another perfectly. You are the yin to my yang, the chocolate to my peanut butter... the Harry Carrey to my John Wayne." I chuckled at the western reference as she continued, "I vow to remember the hard times, to reflect on them and learn from them as we move forward together on this crazy journey called life. I promise to respect you as a person with your own interests, desires and needs, and to realise that those are sometimes different, but no less important, than my own. I won't promise to stop teasing you..." the crowd chuckled as she continued, "but I promise it will always be done with love. Most importantly, I vow to love and support you, and to remind you every day of the good in you. I love you, Dimitri. Everything that I am is yours, forever."

She met my gaze and it took everything in my power not to kiss her, this incredible woman whom I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life loving. Electricity crackled around us as we gazed deeply into one another's eyes.

"Let us now exchange rings. The ring is an ancient symbol, so perfect and simple. It is round like the sun, like the moon, like the eye, like the arms that embrace. It is a circle; for love that is given comes back around again.

"This is the point in the ceremony where we usually talk about the wedding bands having no beginning and no end. But we all know that these rings do have a beginning. Rock is dug up from the earth. Metal is liquefied in a furnace at a thousand degrees, then moulded, cooled, and painstakingly polished. Something beautiful is made from raw elements. Love is like that. It comes from humble beginnings, made by imperfect beings. It's the process of making something beautiful where there was once nothing at all. Let these rings be a symbol of your journey together towards reaching this moment. They are your promises to one another to accept the imperfections and recognise the beauty. Let them remind you of who you are, where you've been, and where you're going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are as a couple.

"Dimitri, place the ring on Rose's finger and please repeat after me... This ring symbolises my commitment to you. Let it be a reminder of the promises we have made to one another today."

"Roza..." I paused, lifting the ring towards her finger, "This ring symbolises my commitment to you. Let it be a reminder of the promises we have made to one another today."

"Rose, place the ring on Dimitri's finger and please repeat after me... This ring symbolises my commitment to you. Let it be a reminder of the promises we have made to one another today."

"Dimitri," she said, pushing the ring onto my finger with a smile, "This ring symbolises my commitment to you. Let it be a reminder of the promises we have made to one another today."

I grinned as I took her hands back in mine, feeling so happy I was worried I wouldn't be able to contain it. No one man could feel this much happiness; surely it would burst from me.

"Dimitri and Rose, from this moment forward you will never be alone. You will carry with you the love of another person, the burdens of their struggles and the triumphs of their successes. May your life together be immersed in love, excitement and friendship. May you strive to enrich each other in every possible way. And may you work to bring the peace you find in one another to this world." He paused, the atmosphere of the church humming with excitement as I gazed into Roza's eyes.

"It is now my honour and delight to declare you husband and wife – you may seal your vows with a kiss."

_Finally!_ I reached up with my hand to cup Roza's cheek as I leaned down, gently pressing my lips to hers. She laced her hands around my neck, pulling me closer as I deepened the kiss. After a few moments, I pulled back, resting my forehead against hers and laughing as the crowd cheered around us.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the celebrant announced loudly over the sound of our loved one's applause, "It is my honour to be the first to introduce to you: Mr and Mrs Belikov!"

* * *

**Songs:**

**Turning Page – Sleeping At Last up until 1:45**

**Can't help falling in love – Hayley Reinhart up until 1:45**

**Bridesmaid's dresses: **

**SHONA JOY - Luxe Bias Cowl Slip Dress in Rose colour**

**The celebrations will continue in the next chapter! Don't forget to review.**

*** I got most of the celebrant's speech online and mixed and matched popular celebrant speeches/added my own to make something I thought suited Rose and Dimitri's relationship.**


	15. Chapter 15 - The Wedding Pt 2

**Here's the rest of the wedding!**

**In reply to Guest – yes there are going to be lots of Russian wedding traditions thrown in now! I kept the ceremony pretty western rather than traditional Russian Orthodox because I don't think Rose and Dimitri are particularly religious. I chose a church wedding only because of their history and the fact that Dimitri finds peace in church, rather than because of any religious aspect.**

**I hope you enjoy :) **

* * *

**RPOV**

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the celebrant announced loudly over the sound of our loved one's applause, "It is my honour to be the first to introduce to you: Mr and Mrs Belikov!"

Dimitri laced his fingers with my own, raising our linked hands above our heads as we turned to face our loved ones.

Olena, mom and Abe ran up to us, huge grins on their faces. Abe reached me first and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered into my ear.

I pulled back, grinning at him. "Thanks, baba. For everything."

His eyes widened in surprise.

"Baba?"

"That's Turkish for dad isn't it?"

His face lit up into a massive smile as he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

Mom was next, reaching over and pulling me into a tight hug; I was surprised to see tears in her eyes. She pulled back, patting my cheek.

"I'm happy for you, Rosemary. I'm sorry I didn't always show it." Her smile turned sad as she continued, "You're very brave. Much braver than I ever was."

I smiled at her, thankful for her sudden change of heart. "Thanks, mom. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Olena was next, pulling me into her warm embrace, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you, Roza," she whispered in my ear. "For bringing my son back to me, and for making him so happy."

I nodded, my eyes welling up as I embraced my new mother-in-law.

What followed was a sea of congratulations, as our loved ones made their way to us. I met their hugs with one arm, accepting their congratulations. Dimitri and I didn't release one another's hands the entire time.

After we'd spoken to everyone, we bid our farewells for a short while. Lissa, Adrian, Dimitri and myself needed to head to the registration office before we went to the reception. It was a requirement in Russia in order to have the marriage legally recognised.

As we got into the limo and started driving Adrian asked, "How far away is this registration place?"

"ZAGS," Dimitri corrected. "And it's about 20 minutes."

"ZAGS?" I asked. "That doesn't sound very Russian."

"Zapis Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya."

"There is it," I said sarcastically, as Adrian and Lissa chuckled. "Why are all your words _so _long?"

Dimitri smirked, pulling me close to whisper in my ear, "Because Russian's are _very_ good with their tongues."

My stomach fluttered as I glanced at his hungry gaze.

"I heard that you know!" Adrian cried, looking disgusted.

I laughed and Dimitri blushed, his intense gaze immediately replaced with a sheepish one.

"What did he say?" Lissa asked, glancing between us in curiosity.

"Trust me, Liss," I said, still laughing. "You don't want to know."

* * *

We returned from ZAGS about an hour later. Out the back of the church was a beautiful garden, so Dimitri and I had decided to have our reception there and enjoy the summer weather.

As we stepped out the back my breath halted in surprise. Abe had put his guardians to work yesterday to set up the garden for our reception. They had done an incredible job. Fairy lights were hung from the trees, draping overhead of the three large round tables. The tables were covered with white table cloths and set up with cutlery and champagne flutes, with a vase of beautiful summer flowers at the centre of each. The gazebo doubled as our dance floor with the DJ set up in the corner, it too was covered in fairy lights and flowers.

Olena and Yeva hurried over holding a loaf of bread as we entered. Our guests all cheered, surrounding us and showering us with oats and rose petals. I felt a large handful of oats pelt me in the back and turned around to glare at Christian and Eddie, who were doubled over laughing.

"Roza," Olena said, smiling at me warmly, "This bread symbolises your acceptance into our family. We know you and Dimitri will enjoy a life filled with love." She turned to address our guests. "Now Roza and Dimitri must each take a bite of this bread. Whoever takes the largest bite will be the head of the household."

The crowd chuckled, whispering to one another and making bets on who they thought would win.

"That's not fair!" I complained, "Look at the size of him!"

"Come off it, Rose!" Christian called from his place next to Lissa. "We've all seen you eat!"

I rolled my eyes as our friends chuckled.

"Ladies first," Dimitri said, smirking at me.

I sized up my competition. _I can do this_. _He may be huge, but I practically turn eating into a sport._ I opened my mouth as wide as possible, forcing the bread into my mouth until I could feel it almost touch the back of my throat. It was quite salty. I winked as I bit down, forcing myself to chew a little further into the loaf.

Dimitri stared at me in astonishment as I gave another wink, struggling to chew the enormous piece of bread in my mouth.

"That was like watching a snake devour a deer whole," Eddie laughed, as the rest of our guests stared on in amazement.

Dimitri went next, opening his mouth wide and snagging a large piece of bread.

Olena held up the bread, studying it closely.

"I'm not sure," she admitted after a moment. She held up to bread to the crowd, "What do you guys think?"

After much debate, it was decided that mine was slightly bigger.

I whooped and Dimitri chuckled good-naturedly, "I think it's fair to say you deserve the win there, Roza."

I smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "I promise I'll be a wise and fair dictator of our household."

Mom came forward next, handing me a balloon with _Hathaway _written on it. I smiled at her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze as I released it. It was Russian tradition, a sign that I was ready to begin my new life with my new name.

Olena and mom then pulled out two crystal glasses, presenting one to Dimitri and myself. Olena turned to address the crowd, explaining the tradition to the non-Russians guests.

"Keeping with Russian tradition, Rose and Dimitri must now muster all their strength to shatter these glasses into as many shards as possible. Each piece the glass breaks into signifies a year of happy marriage."

"Good thing we've spent so many years training these muscles, hey comrade?" I said, smirking up at him while our guests chuckled. We moved to a section of concrete, preparing to smash the glasses.

"Okay ready?" Olena asked. "One, two, three!"

Dimitri and I raised our glasses, throwing them down with as much strength as we could muster until they smashed into literally hundreds of pieces beneath us.

The crowd cheered and Dimitri grinned at me, pulling me into a searing kiss.

"Well, I think it's safe to say they'll have a lifetime of happiness," Abe said, laughing at the mess we'd made.

As we pulled back from our kiss, Adrian and Lissa began to usher everyone into their seats. Each table sat ten, and our table consisted of Adrian, Lissa, Sydney, Christian, mom, baba, Olena and Yeva.

Waiters came around and filled each glass with champagne as we all took our seats.

Adrian and Lissa stood; Russian tradition dictated that they would be our hosts for the evening since they were our closest friends and the witnesses to our official union at ZAGS.

Adrian clinked his champagne flute, getting everyone's attention.

"Welcome everyone," he announced as the crowd fell silent. "I'm sure you're all as happy as I am to be here today and celebrate the marriage of Rose and Dimitri. I think anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing these two can see that they were made for one another. Please join me in raising a glass and toasting the happy couple."

"To the happy couple!" Everyone cried as they raised their glasses and took a sip.

I looked around in confusion when I heard Vika cry, "Gorko!"

The guests followed suit, shouting, "Gorko!" together.

Dimitri chuckled at my confused expression. "Mama must have mentioned this to them while we were at the registration office. It means 'bitter.' We have to kiss until they stop counting to take out the bitter taste of the champagne."

I laughed, putting down my champagne flute to pull Dimitri into a kiss. It started off slow, building in intensity as the crowd counted loudly around us. Dimitri raised his hands from my waist, reaching one up to hold my cheek while the other tangled in my hair.

The guests had counted to 20 and our kiss was growing increasingly passionate when Abe yelled out, "Okay! That's still my daughter up there!"

Everyone chuckled but stopped counting quickly, probably afraid of getting on Abe Mazur's bad side. I reluctantly pulled away from Dimitri, still holding him close as I smiled up at him.

Lissa clinked her glass, demanding everyone's attention again. "Now, Rose and Dimitri would like to take a moment to thank their parents for their love and support over the years."

Dimitri and I stood; I gripped his hand as I began. "Firstly, thank you to baba for organising so much and making most of this wedding possible. Thank you for being so supportive, we both appreciate it so much. Thank you also to Olena, my beautiful mother-in-law, for cooking all of this amazing food!" I signalled around to the array of food that lined the venue, buffet style, before I continued. "I would also like to thank you for making me feel like such an integral part of your family. Even when Dimitri wasn't around, I felt at home in your household. It was a terrible time, so I can never thank you enough for that." Olena smiled at me warmly before I turned to my mom. "Lastly, thank you to my mom. I know this union hasn't always been easy for you to accept, but I know that it only stemmed from your love and concern for me. Thank you for coming to accept our love and for being here on this occasion to celebrate with us, it means so much."

I met her gaze and she smiled at me, mouthing 'I love you'.

Dimitri raised his glass, turning to address our guests. "To Abe, Janine and Olena."

"To Abe, Janine and Olena!"

We all took another sip before I heard Karo yell, "Gorko!"

Our guests quickly joined in.

I looked at Dimitri incredulously, "Again?"

He chuckled, nodding before pulling me into another burning kiss.

_This tradition isn't so bad_, I thought to myself, as I got lost in the arms of my new husband.

* * *

I smiled as we collected the envelopes, pulling Dimitri close and feeling warm with champagne. We had all enjoyed Olena's incredible cooking, feasting like kings before Lissa had announced that it was time to give gifts. We had asked for money rather than physical gifts. Our apartment had everything it needed and the money would come in handy on our honeymoon.

After we had thanked everyone, Abe stored the envelopes for us, organising for them to be sent back to our suite.

"Okay, now if everyone could please head towards the gazebo, Lissa announced. "It's time for Dimitri and Rose's first dance as a married couple."

"Or do we think it will be a first sparing match?" Adrian asked, giving a cheeky smile. "Seeing as that's basically foreplay for these two."

"Yes," Lissa agreed, an evil glint in her eyes, "Don't think I didn't notice how dishevelled you both looked emerging from that storage closet in the gym."

I joined our guests in laughing, shaking my head in amusement as a blush grew up Dimitri's neck and cheeks and he glared at his cousin and Lissa.

I was still chuckling as we made our way to the dance floor, squeezing Dimitri's hand reassuringly. Dimitri entered the gazebo, going over to quickly talk to the DJ before returning to the centre of the floor.

He held out his hand to me as the opening to a song I'd never heard before started playing. I placed my hand in his as he pulled me to the centre of the dance floor, holding me close as the lyrics floated around us.  
_I've hungered for your touch_

_A long, lonely time_  
_Time goes by so slowly  
And time... can do so much  
Are you still mine?  
I need your love_

I pulled back as the lyrics sunk in, staring into his eyes. He gave me a knowing smile.

"You have no idea how hard it was," he whispered, placing his forehead against mine, "When I thought I'd lost you forever."

I shook my head, giving a sad smile.

"Trust me, I do. I missed you so much. It felt like you'd taken a piece of me with you."_  
_He pulled my lips to his, our tongues tangling in a slow, burning kiss as the song continued around us._  
Lonely rivers flow  
To the sea, to the sea  
To the open arms of the sea_

_Lonely rivers sigh  
"Wait for me, wait for me"__**  
**__I'll be coming home, wait for me_

"I found my way home, Roza," he whispered against my lips, wiping away a tear that escaped down my cheek. He pulled back to look at me, tears shining in his eyes, "I'm sorry I took so long."

I pulled him closer, staring deeply into his eyes as I moved my hands to hold his face, "I'll always wait for you."

He smiled, pulling me into a spin as the song picked up around us. Everything else faded into the background as we continued our dance, clinging to one another as the song reached its peak around us. I lost myself in his gaze, as we stared deeply into one another's eyes.

_Are you still mine?_

_I need your love!_

_I... I need your love..._

_God speed your love... to me..._

We finally pulled back from one another as the song came crashing to a close. We stared deeply into one another's eyes, only brought out of our trance by the sound of applause erupting around us. We looked around to see our loved ones clapping and cheering; there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

* * *

"May I have this dance?" Eddie asked as the song I was dancing with Alberta to drew to a close. I nodded and Alberta released me, giving me one final kiss on the cheek.

Eddie pulled me close, and I laughed when _Heaven _by Bryan Adams started playing.

"You can tell Dimitri had a heavy hand in this playlist," I said, shaking my head in amusement.

Eddie chuckled, "You can't have a wedding without playing _Heaven, _Rose. It's a classic. What did you want? Gangster rap?"

I laughed, resting my head on his chest. "Thanks for being here, Eddie."

He smiled, pulling me into a tight hug. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

We continued dancing as the song ended and _Truly Madly Deeply _by Savage Garden started playing.

I snorted, "At least I think I was alive when this one came out."

Eddie laughed before his eyes glanced briefly over my head and an odd expression overcoming his features.

"What –"

I pulled up short when I felt someone grab my legs. I let out a surprised shriek before Eddie suddenly grabbed my arms. I tried in vain to fight them off, wiggling around against their hold. In my restrictive wedding dress, they held off my attempts easily. They eventually lifted me, Eddie carrying my top half and restraining my arms while who I now realised was Mikhail, did the same with my legs.

"What the hell are you doing?" I cried, looking around in confusion. Adrian and Christian emerged, blocking me largely from the view of the crowd as they looked down at me, laughing.

"You're dead," I said, glaring at them. "Whatever this is, you're dead."

"How are we going holding Sir Eats A Lot?" Christian asked with a smirk. "Need a hand?"

"She's not light," Eddie huffed, adjusting his grip.

I scowled, wriggling again to make his life harder as I glared at him.

We passed through the church and onto the street. Russians passing by smiled and laughed as they saw me being carried unwillingly away in my wedding dress by four fully grown men.

"Does no one in Russia come to the aid of damsels in distress?" I asked in disbelief.

Adrian chuckled, "You're hardly a damsel in distress, Rose."

As we continued down the street we eventually reached a parked limo and Eddie and Mikhail climbed in, carefully carrying me with them. Adrian and Christian stayed outside, locking the door and waving us goodbye.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked as they left.

"We're kidnapping you," Mikhail said, smiling. "Dimitri has to solve our riddle and pay a ransom if he wants you back."

"Russian weddings are the coolest," Eddie laughed.

I shook my head incredulously. "Couldn't have given a girl some warning?"

Eddie shook his head, smiling. "Much more fun this way." He pulled out a bottle of Russian vodka, "While we wait, let the party continue!"

* * *

Half an hour (and three very painful shots of vodka) later, Dimitri arrived, pulling me out of the limo and kissing me gently.

"Nice of you to finally show up, comrade," I said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes, grabbing my hand and leading me back to the wedding.

When we returned Lissa ran up to the DJ. He turned the music down as she stood, making an announcement.

"Well, it looks like Dimitri has found his bride!" Our guests cheered before she continued. "It's now time for more games. First up," she ushered Dimitri forward handing him a tea towel, "Dimitri, you must tie a knot in this towel that is as strong as your love for Rose."

He smiled, nodding and creating a knot that he pulled incredibly tightly.

"Now," she continued, "untie it. This will show Rose how well you will solve future problems in your marriage."

The guests chuckled as Dimitri stared at the impossibly tight knot. After a moment he pulled it in front of him, using his fingers to dig beneath the fabric. After about a minute he pulled it apart, smiling broadly.

Everyone applauded as Adrian announced the next game, stepping forward and holding up a blindfold in front of my eyes.

"You're not kidnapping me again, are you?" I asked as he chuckled.

"No," he said, turning to address the audience as he secured the blindfold over my eyes. "Next we're going to test how well Rose knows her new husband. Any guests can volunteer to step forward and kiss Rose's hand. She has to guess which kiss comes from Dimitri."

I laughed as the first person stepped forward, taking my hand in his and kissing it gently. I immediately dismissed it; the hand was too smooth and not calloused from years of exercise like Dimitri's were. As more people approached I kept note of the ones I thought were possibilities.

"Can I feel 2, 4 and 7 again?" I asked.

"2, 4 and 7!" Adrian called out.

They stepped forward, each kissing my hand again. It was hard to tell! All of their hands were calloused like Dimitri's. I eliminated 2 based on the feeling that the hand was too small. After that, I wasn't sure. I went off of instinct, calling out, "4!"

The crowd cheered and my blindfold was lifted. I looked up to find Dimitri was in front of me, smiling at me before pulling me into a kiss.

"Correct," he murmured against my lips, still smiling.

* * *

The celebrations continued well into the night, the fairy lights illuminating the garden as Lissa and Adrian pulled out burlap sacks and declared sack racing as the next game. We had had a relay race between the bridesmaid's and groomsmen, Jill subbing in to make even numbers. After that, we had raced with every possible combination, including Dimitri and myself. Dimitri had won, much to my annoyance. I demanded a rematch when I wasn't wearing a tight wedding dress!

The evening continued into more dancing, all the girls kicking their heels off as we danced the night away.

After hours of drinking, games and dancing the night began to draw to a close.

Our guests began to approach, bidding us farewell and offering their last congratulations and well wishes.

Towards the end, Adrian approached with Sydney, pulling us both into tight hugs. Daniella had taken Declan back to the hotel hours ago so they could stay on.

"Well I'm glad that's over," he said with a laugh. "The love and happiness coming from your auras was blinding. I'm going to have a headache all night."

Sonya laughed from nearby as she and Mikhail approached, nodding in agreement.

"I've never seen two people's auras shine like the two of you do together. Today took it to a whole other level."

Lissa and Christian were the last to leave, pulling us into tight hugs.

"I'm so happy for you, Rose," Lissa said, her slim arms encasing me.

I smiled, pulling back, "Thank you for all your support, Liss. We couldn't have done this without you."

She smiled, bidding us farewell. After they left, it was just Dimitri and I. We stood underneath the fairy lights, staring into each other's eyes.

He grabbed my hand leading me towards some chairs as we sat, staring around us in happiness.

Dimitri pulled my feet onto his lap and began to massage them.

"That's so much better," I moaned. "Those damn shoes were so uncomfortable."

He chuckled, planting a kiss on the top of my foot.

"Today was perfect," he said, smiling at me.

I nodded in agreement, glancing around me in amazement. Why had I been so nervous and hesitant for this day? It had been picture-perfect. I could think of no better way to celebrate my love for Dimitri.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, we both stood, taking one final look around.

Dimitri led me back to the limo and within five minutes we were back at the hotel, heading up to our suite.

As we reached the door Dimitri swept me off of my feet. I let out a surprised laugh as he carried me to the threshold, opening the door with one hand as we entered the room.

He walked forward slowly, staring deeply into my eyes as placed me gently on the bed.

"I love you, Mrs Belikova," he said, leaning down to join me. "Always have, always will."

I smiled, placing my hands around his neck and pulling his lips towards mine. He kissed me slowly, the passion building around us as his hands explored my body. He flipped me over, working with skilled hands to undo the delicate buttons of my dress. In the next second, it was off of me. He walked to the closet, hanging my dress and his jacket carefully before he returned to the bed, hovering over me.

"You got rid of the dress fast," I said with a smirk, echoing my words from the night of the lust charm. "I thought you liked it?"

He smiled, echoing his own words as he replied, "I do like it." He brought his lips down to mine, capturing my bottom lip between his teeth as I gasped, pulling him closer.

"I love it," he whispered against my lips.

His hands began to explore my body again, and I lost track of the world.

* * *

**The wedding is done! What did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed it.**

**First dance song: Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers **

**If you haven't heard it before do yourself a favour and listen in the best quality possible. I absolutely love it. I'm like Dimitri, I've always had a soft spot for the oldies and I hope you think it was a good choice. I thought the lyrics very much suited their relationship, particularly their struggles and longing for one another after Dimitri's restoration.**

**Now we're all in a romantic mood, here's a question - I'm thinking of doing another flashback or two...**

**What are your favourite moments where you think Rose and Dimitri have showcased their love for one another?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello :) **

**So sorry for the wait – I had major writer's block with this chapter. It's all been gearing up towards the wedding and I'm trying to figure out where to go from here! Thanks for your comments; they gave me motivation :) **

**Let me know what you think and what you'd like to see.**

* * *

**RPOV**

I looked around at the crowded bar and groaned internally. My feet were exhausted from a full day of keeping up with Dimitri's ridiculously long legs.

We had gotten up early after the wedding and headed to Omsk, before making the 3-hour flight to Moscow. With the drive and the flight time, we didn't get in until the afternoon. Instead of going out and enjoying the sites like we probably should have done, we had decided to take advantage of the _very _nice hotel suite Dimitri had booked for us. I had expressed concern over how much money he had spent on our honeymoon, but he had assured me that he was well within budget.

To make up for yesterday's laziness, Dimitri had woken me up at the crack of dawn for a workout before we headed out for a full day of exploring. We had managed to see so much: the Kremlin, Red Square, St Basil's and Lenin's Mausoleum. Dimitri knew a lot about the history, and it was adorable how excited he was to show me around his home country. I know it still bothers him that I made my first trip to Russia alone, so I was more than happy to make up for the lost time. Besides, it wasn't like I was doing a lot of sightseeing when I was here last. I was a woman on a mission. But, as perfect as today had been, my feet now felt like they were going to fall off. And I needed a drink.

Seeming to sense my distress, Dimitri smiled and told me to grab a table while he waited at the bar. The place was crowded and I appreciated the gesture; I wasn't sure how much longer my feet could take walking or standing.

I pushed through the thick crowd while keeping my eyes peeled. Eventually, I found a table near the centre of the room. I rushed towards it before anyone could beat me to it, jumping up to perch on one of the stools and moaning in relief as I flexed my feet.

I scanned the bar, shamelessly people watching while I waited for Dimitri to return with our drinks. I found people-watching in Russia to be fascinating. Maybe it's because of my experience with Dimitri that the stereotype formed in my head, but I expected Russian people to be silent and brooding, just like my comrade. In reality, they were literally the craziest group people I had ever seen! Even as we walked around today, the colours and the loudness and craziness of it all took me by surprise. It was so entertaining, but I'm not sure how Dimitri ever fit in this place.

"Привет красавица."

I jumped at the sound of a voice next to me; I had been too busy cringing while watching a couple get drunk off their asses and pet each other heavily through their clothes.

I turned around to face a man around Dimitri's age. I smiled politely, uttering one of the few Russian phrases I'd mastered (well, mastered by Rose Hathaway standards), "Sorry, I don't speak Russian."

I'd genuinely tried to learn more; I would love nothing more than to converse with Dimitri in his native tongue. But the language was so damn difficult! As Dimitri had said, Russian's were very good with their tongues... He sure proved that to me last night...

"English?"

I was pulled out of my inappropriate train of thought when the man spoke again. I turned to look at him again. He looked amused by my terrible accent but didn't comment on it.

I nodded, turning back to scan the crowd for Dimitri. Despite his insane height, I couldn't see him through the thickly packed bodies.

"Where are you from?" He asked in a heavy accent.

I turned towards him again, suppressing an eye roll.

"America," I answered curtly.

I wasn't trying to be rude, but the guy was wasting his time. No one stood a chance next to Dimitri.

I held back a groan when he pulled out the stool across from me, giving me a wink. _Take the hint, bucko. _

"I've never been to America." He said. I just stared at him, refusing to be drawn into the conversation. "It never appealed to me..." he paused, looking me up and down. "If all the women there look like you I think I could be persuaded."

I smirked, holding back a laugh. _Does that line actually work on anyone?_

When I didn't answer he continued, "Can I get you a drink? Russian vodka is something else...I'm sure I could show you a good time while you're here."

I shook my head, waving up my left hand to show him my wedding ring.

"Sorry, taken."

I waited for him to get up and leave but he remained, studying me closely.

He smiled, "Is your husband here with you? If he isn't I'm still happy to show around Russia."

"No thank you," I said with a tight smile, sending off my best _fuck off _vibes.

"Are you sure? It will be our little secret." He leaned forward, brushing his fingers against my forearm before I pulled it back in annoyance.

I was just about to give him a piece of my mind when his face turned from a sleazy grin to an annoyed expression. A second later I felt Dimitri's presence behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist possessively. I watched in amusement as the man's gaze flickered towards Dimitri, his eyes widening as they continued to travel upwards. I peaked a glance at my new husband to find him staring, steely-eyed at Mr Persistent. I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that glare.

The man stood quickly, the stool scraping loudly against the floors.

"Leaving so soon?" Dimitri asked, his voice was low and his expression still hard.

"I..." He stuttered, taking a step to place the table between himself and Dimitri. "I was just –"

"Propositioning my wife?"

The man's gaze fell, his previously cocky demeanour withering under Dimitri's cold stare. He mumbled something in Russian and Dimitri smirked, tightening his hold on my waist before the man rushed away without a backwards glance.

Dimitri continued to hold me possessively against his body as he stared after the man. After almost of a minute I rolled my eyes.

"Jeez, caveman," I said, swatting Dimitri's hand away. "Did you want to pee on me too while you're at it?"

He looked at me sheepishly, pushing a glass of clear liquid in front of me as he took the seat the man had previously occupied.

I continued to look at him in amusement and he shrugged, avoiding my gaze.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you."

I smirked. "I think I can take care of myself. I promise you that man would be no match for me."

He gave a small smile, "No that's probably true. But I'll always want to protect you, no matter how strong you are."

I rolled my eyes but gave him a small smile. The man would literally throw himself into a pack of Strigoi if he thought it would give me even an extra second to save myself. While I appreciated his love for me, sometimes he acted more like my knight in shining armour than my equal.

Looking to change the topic, he pointed to the glass in front of me before motioning to a tray he had placed to the side that I hadn't noticed before.

"Vlad!" I called out, looking at him incredulously. "How much vodka did you buy?"

He smiled, "I thought we could do a little Russian vodka sampling." He motioned to the one he placed in front of me. "Start with that one."

I lifted the glass cautiously, still mentally scarred from my bachelorette party, before I took a tentative sip.

I swallowed quickly, coughing as my eyes watered and my throat burned.

Dimitri pushed another glass of clear liquid towards me and I stared at him wide-eyed.

He chuckled, "Water. I promise."

I took the glass a gulped down a mouthful, but it did nothing to appease the burning in my throat and foul taste in my mouth.

"That is even worse than I thought it was going to be," I said, glaring at him.

He smiled sweetly, "That's the weakest one."

I rolled my eyes, pushing the glass towards him. He took a big shot, swirling it around his mouth quickly before swallowing. The man didn't even flinch. I shook my head in disbelief.

"What is wrong with you people?"

He laughed and pushed the glass back towards me.

"You finish it. You hardly had any."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Trying to get me drunk, comrade?"

He smirked. "Well, I did spend my first year of knowing you actively trying to _stop _you from sneaking off and getting drunk. So I think it's allowed this once."

I chuckled, lifting the glass and shotting it as quickly as I could while I plugged my nose.

When I finished gagging I looked over to see that Dimitri had an amused expression on his face.

"You know, I think you've just gravely offended every person in this bar. Plugging your nose whilst drinking the national drink..." He clucked his tongue in fake scolding.

I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of water before I pointed to the tray of drinks.

"Hand me the next one."

Five different types of vodka later I was well on my way to being hammered. Dimitri was better at hiding it, but he was also definitely feeling the effects of the lethal vodka.

We'd had such a great time, laughing and playing Presidents and Assholes with a deck of cards the bar provided. I didn't expect Dimitri to let so loose with me - he'd even agreed to drinking a sex on the beach! It was a new side to him.

As we stumbled back to our hotel, we made sure to stay in the well-lit areas. I knew Dimitri was thinking of his time as a Strigoi here. I could tell by the way his posture shifted, his eyes gazing carefully over each dark alley we passed.

He told me he travelled through all the major cities when he returned to Russia, hunting at night before settling at Galina's estate near Novosibirsk.

I squeezed his hand, giving him a small smile as we made it back to the hotel and headed to the lifts.

When we entered the suite Dimitri announced that he was going to take a shower, leaving me standing by the bed, gnawing my bottom lip in worry. I swayed slightly and sighed, deciding I should definitely lie down and sleep off this drinking. _Stupid Russians and their crazy vodka. _

Ten minutes later I was tucked in bed, on the cusp of sleep as the alcohol finally started to wear off.

I felt Dimitri's warm body slide in bed next to me. I rolled over, tucking my head in the nook between his chest and shoulder as he ran his hand up my side.

"You okay, comrade?" I asked, kissing his shoulder.

I felt him nod next to me in the dark.

"I'm fine, Roza. Did you have a nice time tonight?"

"Yes," I said, leaning up to kiss the stubble under his jaw. He hadn't shaved since the wedding; I liked the look a lot.

There was a long moment of silence and I felt myself beginning to drift towards sleep again.

"Did it make up for your bachelorette party?" He asked suddenly.

I raised my head, staring at him in confusion.

"You're still thinking about that?"

"Yeah..." he shrugged beneath me, his hand stilling on my hip. "I wanted to make it up to you... Have a fun night out."

I smiled, leaning back against his chest.

"I had the best night, comrade. Thank you."

What did I do to deserve this sweet, thoughtful man?

* * *

I looked around our suite sadly, doing one last final check through as Dimitri hurried out with our luggage. I would miss this place. It was the perfect start to our honeymoon, and I know it meant so much to Dimitri that we could do this together. Him showing me Russia was something we always talked about, even early on in our relationship. But with our limited time and finances, our trips to Russia always revolved around visiting his family in Baia.

We got into the cab that would take us to the airport and I reminisced about our time, leaning my head against Dimitri's shoulder with a sigh. After our drunken evening, we had had a lazy morning in bed, ordering in a feast and having lazy hung-over sex.

We'd then spent the afternoon exploring Arbat Street. Dimitri spent most of the time complaining about how touristy it had become since he last visited as a child. I thought it was perfect.

I even convinced Dimitri to get a caricature done of each of us as a souvenir of the first part of our honeymoon. It was hilarious seeing the stoic and serious Dimitri portrayed with funny proportions. The artist had played upon his intimidating features, but at my request he'd drawn a tiny cowboy hat on him, making the whole thing look ridiculous. I'm going to frame it. Dimitri hadn't been as impressed when mine was completed and the guy had completely overdone my boobs to ridiculous proportions. It was kind of funny, I mean, that was the point of them after all – to exaggerate your features. After I'd dragged an annoyed Dimitri away from the artist, I'd tried to get him to see the funny side.

"He's not wrong, comrade," I had said, pulling him in for a kiss. "You could see these puppies from space."

He had shaken his head, fighting his amusement.

"He got the hair wrong anyway," he had muttered petulantly.

We'd had a lazy afternoon strolling around before ducking into a little restaurant to eat and watch a live performance. I let out another sigh. Why couldn't our life always be like this?

"Are you okay, Roza?" Dimitri's worried voice pulled me out of my reverie.

I nodded, lifting my head from his shoulder to face him.

"I'm just sad to go is all... I can't explain how perfect this was, coming back here... with you."

He nodded, a sad expression overcoming his face before he kissed the tip of my nose lightly.

"Are you not excited to find out about the destination of our honeymoon?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood.

I grinned at that, clapping my hand in a very Lissa-esque way while Dimitri chuckled and pulled me back to him.

About ten minutes later, we arrived at the airport. I huffed when Dimitri skilfully kept our boarding passes hidden from my prying eyes.

"You know it's going to say when we get to the gate, right?"

He smirked, "I know. I'm just prolonging the surprise."

We joined the line for security and I loosened my posture, pretending to relax to lull him into a false sense of security. When I saw his gaze turn in the opposite direction to me, I lunged.

Of course, he saw me coming out of the corner of his eye. Can't get much past my Russian god. He quickly held the passes up with his long reach while I tried to climb up his body, making an annoyed sound while he chuckled. My behaviour earned me a look from security that screamed _potential terrorist_, so after that I decided to just roll with the punches. Only another 20 minutes or so and then I would finally know.

I huffed when Dimitri made his way through the shops towards the gates at a snail's pace, stopping in every shop imaginable and offering to buy me everything from makeup and perfume to new sunglasses.

"I don't need anything!" I snapped after the fifth squirt of perfume. He chuckled, holding up his hands in defeat.

"Fine. Let's go to the gate."

I practically skipped to the gate, running through every potential option in my head. _Where will we be going? Hawaii? Italy? Greece? France? _The possibilities were endless. Lissa had said it would be summer, so at least I knew to stick to this hemisphere.

When Dimitri pulled up short at one of the gates my eyes immediately flickered above his head to the board. Thank god the destinations were written in both Russian and English.

_Oh my god._

"No!" I yelled, jumping up to crush him in a bear hug.

He laughed, lifting me up and squeezing me tight.

"Are you happy?"

"Am I happy? Comrade! You're taking me back to my roots! I never even thought of Turkey. Does Abe know?"

He nodded, smiling at me. "Yes, he was very excited for you to see his homeland. He's even lending us his house in Bodrum. We will spend a week there. That's why I've spent so much on our other accommodation."

"Where else are we going?" I yell, ignoring the stares and amused looks from the other people at the gate.

"Well... there was the suite here, obviously. We're also spending four nights somewhere special in Cappadocia."

I grinned, I'd never heard of either of the places, but I'm sure if Dimitri picked it with Abe's help they would both be incredible.

I kissed him deeply, not caring about the other passengers looking on at our exchange.

"Thank you, comrade," I whispered against his lips.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed! What do you think of the honeymoon destinations?**

**Please let me know what else you would like to see :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here it is! Sorry again for the slow update, I had a lot of trouble writing this as I've never been to Turkey! It's on my list thought for my year abroad and I will definitely be going to Cappadocia and Bodrum.**

**Enjoy this nice long chapter as my apology and don't forget the review and leave suggestions.**

* * *

I squealed again when an announcement came overhead in Russian and we started to board. I can't believe that in three short hours I will be touching down in the country that makes up half of my blood.

It must be a small flight; Dimitri and I are allowed on with the first load of passengers. Dimitri led the way onto the plane, handing the stewardess our boarding passes as she greeted him enthusiastically. I was confused when she gestured for us to head left instead of right like they usually do. I gasped and my feet stop working when we step through the curtain to reveal luxurious pod-like leather recliner chairs.

"No!" I squeaked, grabbing Dimitri's hand as he chuckled. Vlad, I was turning into Lissa this holiday with all the squealing.

Dimitri motioned me to my pod and within seconds a steward appeared, offering us a complimentary glass of champagne. I accepted enthusiastically on Dimitri's behalf and mine.

As I settled back in the spacious seat with my glass of champagne I sighed in contentment. This was so much better than economy. I don't mean to complain, it's not like I'm used to living a life of luxury, but having the luxury of flying everywhere on private jets with Lissa makes flying in economy when Dimitri and I travel together feel even worse. It probably doesn't help that I have a six foot seven reincarnation of Goliath himself sitting next to me. The man is so big he can't help but spill into my seat too.

I looked around in amazement. This was insane, but it couldn't be cheap. I turned to Dimitri, trying and failing to raise one eyebrow at him as I leaned across the aisle to his pod.

"How much was this, comrade?"

He smiled at me, looking perfectly content stretched out in his big leather seat.

"I paid the normal airfare price don't worry, Roza. I can deal with the cramped flight, I'd rather spend our money experiencing Turkey with you."

When I gave him a questioning look he continued.

"I booked economy like usual but Abe insisted on paying to upgrade us. I tried to refuse by Abe said it was a violation of my human rights to put someone my size in economy." He chuckled lightly and I shook my head in exasperation. My baba had well and truly spoilt me lately. I felt almost guilty when he threw his money around like this, but there was no saying no to him... Not that I really wanted to deep down.

* * *

A few hours later we touched down in Istanbul briefly before making a short connecting flight to Cappadocia. I spent the entire cab ride staring excitedly out the window and taking in the incredible landscape. I couldn't believe I was actually here... That Dimitri was thoughtful enough to bring me here.

My breath stopped when we pulled out the front of our hotel. _Holy shit. _We were escorted out of the car and told that our luggage would be sent to our suite before we began a tour of literally the most insane hotel I could ever imagine. It was literally carved out of the inside of a cave! I didn't even want to think about how much this was costing.

He led us through the lobby first and offered to show us the facilities. I nearly choked when he led us through a museum, explaining the history as he went. There was a frigging museum inside this hotel. Like an actual museum filled with Turkish historic ruins and artefacts. This was insane.

I smirked when Dimitri spent most of his time listening studiously to the history of Turkey and the origins of the artefacts. He's such a nerd for history, but I couldn't deny it was cute as hell. After our tour of the museum, he showed us to the roof. It contained the most beautiful Roman pool, as well as a seating area where we could watch the hot air balloons every morning.

Nothing though, not even the most beautiful facilities I could ever have imagined, could have prepared me for our suite. It was carved into the rock of the cave, decorated with beautiful Turkish rugs and artefacts and big enough to include multiple staircases. There was an incredible Jacuzzi in the ginormous bathroom with a massive window overlooking the most amazing view of the city and landscape. There was literally even a frigging wine tap so that we could gorge ourselves on unlimited Turkish wine.

"I'm never leaving," I said, turning to grin at Dimitri when we were finally alone.

He chuckled, pulling me into a hug and burying his face in my hair.

"Oh no. I've gotten you accustomed to a life of luxury."

I laughed, smacking his arm playfully.

"It was bound to happen. Daughter of Abe Mazure and best friend of Lissa Dragomir..."

He laughed again, pulling back to face me.

"So, you like it?" He looked slightly nervous despite my crazy level of enthusiasm throughout the whole tour. It was very cute.

"I love it, Dimitri. It couldn't be more perfect."

* * *

I sunk into the scalding water of the hot tub with a sigh of contentment. Dimitri sauntered over carrying two glasses of Turkish wine from the tap and I openly ogled my man. _Damn, I got lucky_.

He handed me the glasses before sinking into the water next to me, his arm draping behind my back as we enjoyed the view. I smiled, kissing his cheek lovingly.

This afternoon had been incredible. Dimitri and I had decided to spend the afternoon shopping in Goreme. The colours and the designs of everything in the markets had been incredible. I'd spent almost half an hour in one carpet shop admiring the designs. Dimitri had surprised me at the end with a little gold and blue Nazar bracelet that matched my necklace perfectly. I have no idea when he had managed to buy it, but it was beyond perfect. We'd then gone out to a beautiful Turkish restaurant for dinner where we sat on a traditional Turkish kilim. The food was incredible, we'd enjoyed a few meze platters to start and Dimitri had laughed at the look on the waiter's face when I, instead of Dimitri, devoured most of it. He'd laughed a lot so far this trip; he seemed much less serious than normal. I'd never seen him so open and carefree, but I more than welcomed the change in him. We'd then enjoyed a testi kebab, where they cooked everything inside a clay pot and broke open over the fire. It was some of the best food I'd ever eaten. Better than doughnuts. Maybe.

"Thank you, Dimitri," I said, smiling at my incredible new husband before my eyes drifted back down to study my Nazar bracelet.

He smiled, leaning in to give me a searing kiss. His lips tasted like wine. After I was literally gasping for breath he pulled back, smiling at my flushed cheeks and taking the glass of wine out of my hands.

"Don't drink too much more tonight," he said, placing the glasses on the ledge beside him. "I have something special planned for tomorrow and trust me when I say you'll want to be well-rested."

"Enchanté, comrade," I said, wiggling my eyebrows at him. "Planning dirty things?"

He chuckled, shaking his head.

"You're insatiable. Was what I just gave you not enough?"

I shook my head slowly, biting my lower lip as his gaze turned hungry. With a growl he pulled me to him, his body was like fire even in the scalding water.

Needless to say, we started part two of our honeymoon with a bang.

* * *

"Roza?" I felt something gently shaking my shoulders and I groaned, burying my head in the pillows.

"Roza, you have to get up." Dimitri's gentle voice pulled me out of my unconsciousness and I groaned again, choosing to ignore him and instead bury myself further into the warm blankets.

My eyes flew open in fury when I felt the warm cocoon of blankets yanked away from me. I looked over to see my husband smirking at me before throwing the blankets on the floor.

"I hate you," I groaned and he chuckled.

"Don't you want to see what your surprise is?"

I glanced at the clock and did a double-take.

"Dimitri! It's 4 am! We're on holiday, what the hell kind of surprise is this?"

He just laughed, walking over to my suitcase and throwing an outfit at me. It was a beautiful loose dress that Lissa had bought for me. At least I knew he wasn't waking me up for one of our crack of dawn workouts. Then I would have kicked his ass.

Ten minutes later I was still grumpy as hell, but I'll admit a little excited about whatever this surprise was.

We loaded into a car and I started jumping up and down with excitement when I realised where we were heading.

"No way! Hot air balloons? I've never even seen one before this, let alone been in one! This is awesome."

Dimitri smiled and nodded, shifting slightly uncomfortably as we waited to board our balloon.

"You okay?" I asked, studying him closely.

He nodded, jumping slightly at the sound of a flame erupting in one of the balloons near us.

"How do you think they stay up?" He asked, examining the balloon cautiously.

I stared at him in amazement.

"Oh my god! Are you nervous, comrade?"

He glared at me, shuffling again as he studied the contraption.

"I'm not the biggest fan of heights. And I really don't understand how this thing stays in the air."

I continued to stare at him. Dimitri wasn't scared of anything. It was weird to see him look so vulnerable.

"Why did you book it if you're afraid of heights?"

"I'm not afraid of them," he quickly corrected. "I'm just not the biggest fan of them."

"Okay then," I rolled my eyes. "You literally spend your days seven feet off the ground - I don't know what you have to be worried about. Plus you didn't answer my question. Why did you book this?"

He shrugged his shoulders, shoving his hands into the pockets of his beige chino pants.

"I booked it because I knew it would make you happy."

I think my heart melted. Dimitri - big, strong, fearless Dimitri would face his only fear just to make me happy. I loved this man so much. I moved towards him, taking his hands in mine and resting my head against his chest. God bless him, his heart was beating a million miles a minute.

"I'll be there the whole time, comrade," I reassured him, pulling back to look into his eyes. "If you're scared just look at me," I suggested and he nodded, giving me a small smile.

As we stepped into the basket I gave Dimitri a reassuring smile and grabbed his hand in mine. As the flames roared to life and we started to rise Dimitri stiffened, one hand gripping mine and the other clinging onto the basket for dear life.

"You're going to break it," I chuckled, nodding with my eyes towards where his white knuckles were clutched to the wicker.

He loosened his grip somewhat and I gave his hand another reassuring squeeze.

The view from up high literally took my breath away. A fleet of other balloons, all of different colours and designs, surrounded us over the incredible landscape. I had never seen anything this beautiful.

Sticking to my advice, Dimitri spent most of the hour watching me watching the view, although he did take a few quick glances when I pointed out something particularly incredible. I had to talk the poor man down from a full-scale panic attack when I'd pointed out the funny shape of the rock formations below. Asking Dimitri to look directly down was not my brightest idea, but his nerves were endearing. It was incredibly special that he was willing to put himself through that for me. Especially when I knew how in control Dimitri liked to be.

When we landed I was literally speechless. I pulled Dimitri into a bear hug, peppering him with kisses.

"Thank you," I said finally, pulling back to study his face. "That was the most incredible experience of my life. I'm sorry you were..." I stumbled slightly when I almost used the word 'scared', knowing that Dimitri would deny it, "uncomfortable the whole time."

"It was worth it," he said, the colour slowly returning to his face now that we were on solid ground. "Seeing you that happy makes anything worth it."

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon relaxing by in the Roman pool and enjoying the view before Dimitri announced that he had another surprise booked.

An hour later we were stepping out of the car at a place called Rose Valley. The landscape and the colours in the late afternoon light were incredible. My grin grew even wider when I saw the three ATV's parked up and ready to ride.

"I figured horse riding wasn't the best idea," Dimitri explained, smiling at me. "I didn't think they would let us near them. But I heard of this tour and figured you'd enjoy it."

"Hell yes!" I said, running over to mount mine.

I yawned and tried not to roll my eyes while Dimitri listened dutifully to the safety instructions from the ATV guide. I just wanted to ride! I'm a Dhampir for crying out loud. My reflexes were ten times better than those of this lame guide. Someone needed to remove the stick out of his ass.

We spent two hours riding through the valleys and rock formations. About an hour in I got sick of the guides slow ass pace and motored ahead, revving the engine to full throttle and laughing at the sound of his annoyed shouts behind me. I enjoyed the feeling of the wind whipping against my hair as I did loops, making big doughnuts in the dirt. My little stunt earned me a lecture on ATV safety from our guide, which I rolled my eyes all the way through. It was worth it. It earned me an even longer lecture from Dimitri on our way back to the hotel which I stifle a laugh through. It was like being transported back to school where he was my mentor and lecturing me every chance he got about making responsible life choices.

* * *

I applied my eyeliner carefully, being sure not to mess up my makeup on the last step like I always seem to. It was our last night in Cappadocia and Dimitri was taking me out to a 'Turkish Night' at a local cave restaurant. We'd spent the last two days exploring more sights. Cappadocia was truly a magical place, and I could feel myself falling deeply in love with Turkey.

We'd spent the day after our balloon ride hiking the valleys and exploring the Derinkuyu Underground City. The place was literally a multi-level city that could fit tens of thousands of people. Dimitri had once again listened dutifully to the history and spent hours afterwards discussing it excitedly with me while I pretended to listen. It was still an incredible experience though, and it was hilarious watching my giant of a husband try to squeeze through some of the lower levels, looking thoroughly annoyed that people were so small back then.

Today we had gotten up early to watch the balloons from the rooftop of our hotel. We'd curled up on the couches, sipping on Turkish coffee and nibbling on breakfast as we took in the incredible sight. Dimitri had even talked me into one last hike and museum before we spent the afternoon relaxing by the Roman pool.

"Are you almost ready, Roza?" Dimitri called from our bedroom.

"Almost!" I lied, smiling to myself.

A second later he poked his head through the bathroom door, no doubt not believing my statement. I spent a moment ogling his bare chest as he slowly did up the buttons on his white linen shirt. Christ, he looked good on holiday. His already tanned skin was an even darker bronzed colour and he looked more relaxed are carefree than I'd ever seen him.

"You aren't even dressed," he complained and I laughed, tearing my eyes away from his naked torso to continue with my eyeliner.

He groaned when he saw the eyeliner in my reflection. It always ended badly, with my hand slipping and me canning the entire makeup look and starting again.

"Sorry, comrade. It's our last night and I wanted to look special."

He nodded, not pushing me as he left the bathroom. I heard him pouring wine out of the tap and chuckled. Dimitri was very fond of Turkish wine. Perhaps we'd get a tap installed in our apartment.

Half an hour later I emerged to find Dimitri reading a western on the couch. He looked up and blinked when he saw me, his Adam's apple bouncing up and down as he drank me in.

"See something you like?" I asked with a smirk, giving him a little swirl. Lissa had packed me a little black dress that I knew I had to take advantage of at some point during this trip.

He nodded, placing his book and wine glass down and moving to encircle me in his arms.

"You look beautiful, Roza," he whispered, pulling my lips to his. "Maybe we should stay in tonight," he teased, pulling back to look me up and down again.

I laughed, slapping his arm playfully.

"No way! I did not spend an hour making this happen for no one to even see it! Let's go."

He chuckled but nodded, opening the door for me as we made our way out to grab a cab.

We arrived at the restaurant and the beauty of this place again took me aback. The restaurant was similar to our hotel, carved out from the rock of a cave and decorated with traditional Turkish colours and artefacts. There were long lines of white benches draped in colourful linens as well as a central stage where dancers moved to the music.

"This is awesome!" I said as Dimitri and I took our seats and accepted their offer of more wine.

We ordered the food quickly, I was starving and Dimitri knew better than to let that situation get out of hand. I wasn't always pleasant when I was hungry.

An hour and way too many glasses of wine later Dimitri had joined me on my side of the bench, laughing with me as we watched the crazy movements of the belly dancers on stage. They had dragged some poor man up with them and were trying to teach him the movements. Unfortunately, he just couldn't get the hip displacement needed but it was very entertaining to watch. After a few minutes, one of the women approached me.

"Bize katıl," she said to me with a warm smile.

İ shook my head slowly, indicating that I didn't understand her.

She smiled apologetically at me, extending her hand.

"Sorry," she said in heavily accented English. "You look Turkish."

I smiled and shrugged, staring at her outstretched hand in confusion.

"My dad is, but I don't speak the language."

"Join us," she said, giving me another smile. "We can teach you the dance."

I laughed, shaking my head and glancing at Dimitri uncomfortably.

"No, I'm okay thanks. I don't want to leave my husband."

"He can learn too," she said, turning her gaze to Dimitri. I laughed when his face shifted from amused to terrified in two seconds flat.

"What do you say, comrade?" I asked, batting my eyelashes at him. I didn't particularly want to go up there, but the idea of seeing Dimitri shaking his hips in front of an audience was too good of an offer to pass up. _Am I a bad wife? _I thought to myself with a chuckle.

"Please," I whined in his ear when he remained silent, looking like he wished the ground would swallow him up.

"Fine," he groaned, standing up quickly and dragging me with him.

I grinned, following the woman to the stage and listening carefully as she began to instruct us. I spent the first few minutes laughing and watching Dimitri, but after a while I decided to spare him some dignity and focused solely on the woman and her instructions. I felt like I was getting the hang of it. _I wonder if this looks anything like her? Probably not. _ I thought to myself dryly as I tried to imitate the woman's impossibly sexy moments of her hips.

After a few minutes of quietly mastering the moves (I thought I was mastering them based on the cheers from the audience), I looked over to check on Dimitri's progress. He had stopped moving completely; instead, he was staring at my movements, mouth wide open.

* * *

We woke up late the next morning, enjoying our last morning in this incredible hotel before we needed to check out. I was excited about the next stage of our honeymoon and to see the old man's place in Bodrum, but I wasn't sure how anything could top the magic of Cappadocia.

By early afternoon our wheels finally touched down in Bodrum and we made our way to the house in a cab. I stared out the window, wide-eyed the entire drive.

"Do you see it, Dimitri?" I almost yelled, tapping on the glass excitedly. Neither of us had ever seen the ocean before. It looked impossibly blue and I couldn't believe the exotic landscape.

He chuckled and nodded, looking out next to me with a smile on his face. The car finally pulled up to baba's house and I got out, stretching my legs quickly before I turned to study the water again.

I dragged Dimitri closer and he watched in amusement as I got my first up-close look at the ocean. I squealed like a little kid, jumping up and down and all but dragging Dimitri with me to dip my feet in. I looked back as I jumped up and down splashing to see Dimitri staring at me with the most adorable smile on his face. When our eyes met I egged him on, raising my eyebrows in a challenge. With a roll of his eyes, he joined me, jumping up and down and laughing at the crazy looks we got from the high-end residents and visitors in Bodrum.

Baba's house was incredible, right on the beach and with a massive pool as well. He'd stuck to traditional Turkish designs and I thought it was beyond beautiful.

"We have to come back here again," I said to Dimitri as we excitedly explored. There was a massive palm tree and a pool in the middle of the open-plan house and even a home theatre. I could definitely get used to this.

"I've loved Turkey so far," Dimitri said with a smile. "I can see why Abe was so excited for me to bring you here."

I nodded, dipping my feet into the swimming pool in the courtyard in the middle of the house.

"I would love to come back here with him. He could show us all the local hangs. Plus we probably wouldn't get ripped off so much at the markets." I added with a laugh.

"Because he's a local or because he's Zmey?" Dimitri asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Both," I said, my laugh turning into a scream as Dimitri leaned down and splashed a handful of water at me.

"You're dead, Belikov!" I yelled, chasing him around the water's edge before finally catching up and pushing him in, fully clothed.

Unfortunately for me, Dimitri managed to grab me and drag me with him.

That's how we spent our first afternoon in Bodrum, laughing and splashing as we swam around fully clothed. We were acting like children, but this trip was the first time either of us hadn't felt the weight of responsibility on our chests for a long time.

* * *

I sighed from my spot in bed, tucked up against Dimitri's muscular body. Every single second of this honeymoon had been perfect. I still couldn't believe that Dimitri and I were having an experience like this together. We were acting like a normal couple, and Dimitri was the happiest I'd ever seen him. I ran through the perfect memories of Bodrum in my head for what felt like the hundredth time.

We had spent a day on baba's boat as it travelled to the most beautiful bays.

We had visited vineyards and paired way too much wine with way too much food.

We had visited and spent the day relaxing in the Pamukkale hot springs.

We had wandered the streets and the local markets.

We had learned to scuba dive. That was a crazy one. I'd never even seen the damn ocean and suddenly I was under it for an hour, thanks to our excellent dhampir lung capacity. We did one of those discovery courses and spent the day in the water at a place called Black Island. There were caves filled with sea sponge and bubbles. I'd never seen anything like it. The fish kind of steered clear but I loved to look at the coral, and Dimitri said it was the most relaxed he had ever felt.

All too soon, our time was drawing to a close.

"I don't ever want to leave this honeymoon," I whined, tracing my fingers over the chiselled plains of Dimitri's abs.

There was a long moment of silence before Dimitri acknowledged my complaint.

"We could stay," he said, his voice sounding uncertain.

My slow movement over his stomach halted and I shifted, staring up at him in shock.

"What?"

He sat up slowly, bringing me with him before he turned to face me, taking my hands in his. The intensity behind his gaze surprised me.

"I think about it sometimes... running away with you," he said tentatively, studying my face closely to gauge my reaction. When I didn't respond he continued. "We could be a normal couple. We could make money. Better money than we could ever make now. And I could spoil you with holidays just like this. We could be together without the judgements and the long hours apart." He paused, his gaze shifting downward as his hands tightened around mine. "I could go to work every day not worried to death about your safety. I love my job, Roza. It's all I've ever known. But sometimes... sometimes I hate it too. I hate that in our world your life is worth less than a Moroi. I hate that you're expected to make that kind of sacrifice. You're the love of my life. No one's life is more valuable to me than yours."

It took me a long time to find the ability to speak. I didn't know how to feel; I didn't know what to think of the little flutter in my stomach and the images that invaded my mind as he painted the possibility in my minds-eye. After a long moment of heavy silence, I was finally able to speak.

"Dimitri... I want that. You have no idea how much I want that." I paused, meeting his gaze with glistening eyes as I imagined our future. A future where we were just Rose and Dimitri. Just people. Where we came home to each other each day, where we had weekends free and holidays once a year. God, how I wanted that. "But... I can't leave Lissa."

He gave a sad smile, reaching out to cup my cheek.

"I know. It's one of the many reasons I love you - your loyalty and your passion. Please don't think this life is not enough for me. I'll live anywhere, do anything, as long as I get to share it with you... I just sometimes wish we lived in a simpler world. You deserve to live in a better world."

I nodded, leaning over to kiss him gently.

"I know, comrade. I know"

* * *

**Done! I hope it was worth the wait and you think it was a honeymoon worthy of our lovers.**

**The hotel I was talking about in Cappadocia is the Museum Hotel – look it up. Oh lord if I wasn't going to be travelling on a budget I would be there so fast! It's super expensive but looks insane. **

**I know it would be outside of Rose and Dimitri's budget normally, but remember Abe and Lissa covered the wedding costs and they have saved on the cost of half their honeymoon by Abe offering to lend them his Bodrum house – so Dimitri definitely splurged and spoilt Rose like I'm sure he'd always like to be able to :) **


	18. Chapter 18

**Here it is! Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think :)**

**WARNING - This chapter contains some darker themes and violence. **

**RPOV**

* * *

**1 year later **

"Yeah, take your shirt off!" Lissa yelled as I bit back a laugh.

She looked hilarious and so far I was loving every minute of this night. She had on the classic 'bride to be' sash, as well as tacky, pink flashing jewellery and a headband with two fluffy, pink penises bouncing off of it like antennae. She was also nursing her seventh tequila sunrise of the night, which meant she was getting very into the Magic Mike show that was going on onstage.

I'd bought the getup as a joke. I was certain that Lissa wouldn't be caught dead in any of it – especially now that she was Queen. But, to my pleasant surprise, Lissa had insisted on wearing it. I think a major factor had been the fact that we decided to frequent a human bar outside of Court tonight, so the odds of being seen were very low. It meant a hell of a lot of security, but I wanted Liss to be able to let loose at her bachelorette party without fearing who might see.

Christian had proposed shortly after our wedding. We'd had to go back to Saint Vlads for another trip so that Lissa could speak to the students.

After much begging, Dimitri and I had agreed to give them some privacy. We'd broken protocol and guarded the outside of the church while they snuck up to the attic 'for old times sake'. Even through the thick walls of the church, Dimitri and I had heard Lissa's excited shrieks ten minutes later. An hour later she was shoving her impressive diamond in her face, coming up with a secret 'ring' handshake. I chuckled at the memory; Vlad, she's nuts, but I love her.

Eddie wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I turned to smile up at him. He was one of our near guards for the night, as well as a few of the other younger guardians.

When I indicated with my eyes towards Lissa he grinned, leaning in to shout in my ear over the music.

"If you think she's entertaining, have a look at Belikov!" He laughed, pointing with his head towards the far wall of the club.

There stood my husband, all six foot seven of him, looking incredibly uncomfortable as he desperately glanced anywhere but the stage.

The performer suddenly ripped off his pants, revealing some _very _tiny underwear as he gyrated to the music. Our party let out excited screams and I burst into laughter at Dimitri's expression. I could practically see his blush from here.

"You know," Eddie continued as I hid my laughter into his chest. _I'm such a bad wife. _"Watching men getting freaky isn't my favourite thing either. But Belikov's expression may just make it all worth it."

I laughed again, stopping short when I noticed the spotlight shift from the stage towards our party. The group of men started to shimmy off of the stage, undoubtedly noticing Lissa and her bachelorette sash. They reached our group, beckoning for her to follow them up on stage. I stepped forward to intervene when I felt Eddie's hand lock around my wrist, pulling me back.

"You're off duty, Hathaway," He reminded me, watching carefully as Lissa was dragged laughing towards the stage. We'd decided to keep it to just my maiden name when I was on duty for simplicities sake. Besides, I wasn't quite ready to be done with Rose Hathaway just yet. "Let her have her fun," Eddie continued, "We've got it covered."

I watched as Eddie made eye contact with Matthews, Willis and Jones. Within a second they were all inconspicuously spread out around the stage, ready to jump up at a moments notice.

Trusting that they had it covered (which wasn't easy for me to do when it came to Lissa's safety) I walked over to where Mia, Sonya, Sydney and Jill were all sat. I quickly downed my drink as I walked, forcing myself to relax and enjoy the night.

Mia grinned at me when she saw me, pulling me down to squish onto the seat between her and Jill.

"This is amazing!" Mia yelled, pointing to where Lissa sat, covering her eyes in horror as the men danced over her.

"I never thought I'd see the day," I laughed, shaking my head in amusement.

Mia handed me another shot and I smiled, clinking it against her glass before I downed it.

* * *

"Best night ever!" Lissa squealed, wrapping one of her slender arms around my shoulders as we stumbled out of the club.

The guardians had done a quick perimeter check and the far guards had taken up position while we walked out with Eddie, Matthews, Willis and Jones.

I laughed, wrapping my arm around Lissa's waist and squeezing her tight.

"I'm glad you had a good night, _your majesty._"

Lissa made a face and we all laughed.

"I'm not sure I can ever call you that again after seeing three basically naked dudes dance all over you," Mia slurred, her nose crinkling at the memory.

I chuckled as Lissa's cheeks turned bright red.

"Bet you're glad I made the no camera rule now, huh Liss?" I joked, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

She nodded, stumbling slightly as she hiccupped loudly in my ear.

"I think I can put Adrian to shame now!" Sydney suddenly exclaimed, giggling at her own joke.

I snorted. Once upon a time, the statement would have been ridiculous but now it was probably true. The man was behaving like a saint since Dec had come into their lives.

I stumbled slightly when I suddenly ran into something. I took a step back, glancing at Eddie's back in annoyance.

"Why'd you st–"

I stumbled again when Eddie suddenly pushed Lissa and I back. Within a second he and the other near guardians had formed a protective circle around the girls and us.

In an instant I was sober. Sydney and I formed a protective wall around the Moroi as the guardians shifted to battle around us.

I pulled my stake out of my clutch, watching intently for any sign that a Strigoi had gotten past the first line of defence.

It was hard to tell with all the commotion, but there had to be more than ten Strigoi. It was a number we could handle, but it wouldn't be easy. The odds weren't good enough. We had to get Lissa out.

As if seeming to sense my revelation, Eddie staked the Strigoi he was battling and turned to face me, giving me a brief nod.

"Salutem," he said into the earpiece, enacting our worst-case scenario code word for situations just like this one.

In an instant, four guardians formed a protective wall around the Moroi and Sydney while we led them through an alley shortcut back to the van.

Dimitri and five others stayed behind to hold them off.

Only one Strigoi caught wind of our plan, the rest were too distracted by the other guardians. We finished him off quickly as we continued our escape.

We reached the van within a minute and I ushered the girls inside as Eddie jumped into the driver's seat and the engine roared to life. I kept my eyes peeled on the alley as I ushered the other guardians inside with the girls, slamming the doors and waving the van off.

"What are you doing? Get in!" Eddie yelled, throwing the passenger door open for me.

I shook my head, "They need back up over there. You guys go, you're better protection for them right now – I've been drinking."

Eddie gave me an incredulous look but I stared him down. At the end of the day, I was his superior, even off duty. What I say goes. Eddie seemed to come to this realisation, his jaw tightened as he shook his head in exasperation.

"Get them out of here!" I yelled, slamming the door shut and turning to jog back to the others without a backwards glance.

I entered the alley cautiously, doing a careful sweep and checking dark corners as I went, searching for any other Strigoi that may have caught wind of our escape.

As the others came back into sight I was relieved to see we'd suffered no casualties.

There were nine Strigoi left, a difficult but achievable task for six of the Queen's Guard. I caught sight of Dimitri; he was slightly scratched up but moving fine. The Strigoi he was battling looked old and skilled. He had been a Dhampir, and by the looks of it a pretty decent guardian, before he was turned.

I sped up my pace, desperate to reach him and lend a hand. If I could take down just two Strigoi, our odds increased dramatically.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of cold arms lock around me from behind, pinning my arms to my body.

I felt my stake clatter to the ground in my surprise. I cursed loudly, struggling in vain against my captor's iron grip. _What the hell?_ I thought I had sight of all the Strigoi. Was one of them hiding? Why would they hide?

The Strigoi started dragging me backwards, out of the light and into the alley I'd just ran through. I struggled in vain, glancing quickly towards the other guardians, desperate for help. But I couldn't call for Dimitri's help. His fight was already too evenly matched. It required every ounce of his concentration. The split second he would turn to find me could mean his death. I couldn't take that risk.

I kicked out, digging my heels into the feet of my attacker. For the first time this evening, I was glad for my five-inch stilettos. That had to hurt. I gave a satisfied smirk when I felt him hiss in pain and his grip loosened slightly from around me.

"Let her go and die." The voice came from my right instead of behind me.

Two Strigoi. No stake. _Great_.

I looked to my right to see another Strigoi approaching and I hastened my escape attempts. I wiggled around; pulling my legs up and stomping my heels back down into the feet of my captor.

He let out an enraged roar, pulling me tighter until the pressure on my chest made it difficult to breathe.

The other Strigoi was right in front of me now, smirking down at me.

"Fiery, beautiful and attached to the Queen's hip. You must be Rose Hathaway."

I didn't bother correcting him on the name. Somehow I didn't believe this Strigoi wanted to hear all about my magical wedding. I focused all my energy into glaring at him, my eyes glancing around for any way out of this situation.

I could see the others, but from the shadows of the alley, they wouldn't be able to see me. All the other guardians were still deep in battle. None of them had even noticed I was here.

"Gabriel will be very happy we got her," The Strigoi in front of me commented, looking over my head to talk to his accomplice and ignoring my presence completely. "It might even make up for losing the Queen. If the two are as close as they say, she can probably lead us right to her."

My blood ran cold as I stared up at his soulless, red eyes.

"Don't waste your time." I threatened, pulling harshly against the Strigoi's iron grip. "I'll never tell you where she is."

The Strigoi's gaze shifted down to me, almost as if he'd forgotten my presence. For his part, he looked more amused than concerned about my defiance. After a moment he reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. It was an oddly intimate gesture from someone who was looking at me like I was a big juicy quarter pounder.

"After you're turned you'll feel no allegiance to her. You'll tell us everything you know. But before that we'll have some fun with you," he smiled darkly, running his hand down the column of my neck. "You really are as hot as they say."

My stomach churned. Okay. I like to consider myself an optimistic person at the best of times, but even I couldn't deny that my options weren't looking great here. I did the only thing I could think of that might piss him off enough that he would snap and get distracted enough that I might have a chance to fight. Not a great option considering I didn't have my stake, but vastly better that than the alternative.

I gave him my most angelic smile, giving him a slow wink as I gathered up a big wad of spit in my mouth. In the next second, I sent it flying right into his stupid Strigoi face. My aim was perfect, of course.

In the next second his hands were around my neck, squeezing tightly as he stared at me in pure rage.

"You little bitch!"

I could feel the loss of oxygen as it reached my face, making it burn red and then purple. I continued to stare into his eyes, meeting them in defiance as he continued to choke me, a malicious smile overcoming his cold features.

"Don't kill her," the Strigoi behind me warned. "We need to bring her to Gabriel. He was very clear. The Queen, Rose or the Russian in exchange for our lives. We can't fail again."

I felt the steely grip on my neck loosen ever so slightly and I rasped in a desperate breath. My eyes widened in shock when I felt his grip once again tighten, my tedious link to oxygen once again cut off. My limbs flailed against the iron grip around me, desperate for some purchase or way to fight for freedom. The Strigoi smiled, enjoying my panic before his hand finally released my throat. I coughed loudly, my breathing coming out in desperate gasps.

"You'll never get to Lissa," I spat between pants, my voice laced with venom. "Even if you had my help. Even with your numbers tonight, you couldn't get near her. She's the most protected Moroi in the world."

The Strigoi laughed coldly, his eyes raking over my body in a way that made me feel queasy.

"So was Tatiana," he reminded me with a dark smile. "Gabriel has half the Strigoi population dedicated to his cause. The Dragomir bitch should have been finished a long time ago. She and her stupid magic programs are going to die. Soon."

"Alec!" The Strigoi behind me snapped, his voice impatient. "Stop playing with her. There will be plenty of time for that later. We need to leave. Now. The others are almost finished."

The Strigoi, Alec, glanced over his shoulder quickly. My eyes followed his, taking in the scene before me. They were down to almost even numbers; six guardians to eight Strigoi. Each guardian was busy with their final kills. Dimitri looked worn, his movements slightly sloppy with fatigue. Perhaps no one else would have noticed it, but I knew him so well. His opponent was impossibly fast, showing his obvious age and status.

Alec made a frustrated sound. "Take her. I'll go help Christoph finish the Russian off. We don't need him if we have her. He'll just get in the way." He glanced down at my wedding ring with a smirk. "Looking forward to being a widow, Rose? Don't worry. We'll keep you company."

The world around me froze, the sound of the carnage around me fading to nothing as I stared into a pair of menacing red eyes. Eyes that made my blood run cold. If Alec joined the fight, Dimitri would die.

"No!" I choked, the sound garbled by the lump in my throat.

Alec smiled at me darkly. "Are you going to beg, Rose?" He reached out, running his fingers down the column of my neck. I stared at him, unflinching as he continued, "Now that's something I might enjoy seeing."

My mind reeled. If this Strigoi took me, I would be turned. Dimitri would die. And I would help these monsters track down Lissa. There was only one way out of this. It wasn't a great option, but it was all I had.

Make him so angry he snapped. Make him so angry, he killed me.

I forced down the feeling of pure panic at the thought of losing my husband. I was no help to him in my desperation. I needed to consider my next words very carefully. But if Rose Hathaway-Belikova was good at one thing, it was being a smart ass.

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders as I lifted my gaze to meet the red one in front of me head-on.

Time to hit a Strigoi where it hurts. His ego.

"Maybe I would beg," I said, shoving down my feeling of dread and doing my best to smirk up at him. "Beg you to put it in when you're already balls deep."

He slapped me. Hard. I blinked a few times. Ignoring the ringing in my ears, I worked my face into an emotionless mask before I looked back up at him. His face was contorted into an expression of pure rage.

In any other situation, I might have laughed. It was such an obvious dig that his rage was ridiculous. But Strigoi were all about ego and power and it turns out they didn't take too kindly to people questioning that. I didn't laugh though. Even Rose Hathaway had limits to what she found amusing. Instead, I kept my face in an impassive mask as he leaned close and threatened me.

"You little bitch. I'm going to enjoy choking that smart fucking mouth."

I ignored the stinging in my cheek, a slow smile taking over my face. "Touched a nerve, have I? Sounds like you've heard that before. Poor _little_ strigoi. All that power and you still can't make up for your-"

In the next second his hand was around my neck, choking harder than ever before. I let out a garbled cry as I was ripped from the arms of the other Strigoi and repeatedly slammed up against the wall.

"You little fucking brat! I'll show you not to disrespect me!"

I closed my eyes, forcing happy memories to the forefront of my mind as I felt my head crack repeatedly against the brick wall. I felt the warm trickle of blood as it matted through my hair and down my back.

"Alec! You're going to fucking kill her. You're going to kill us all!" With a final shove, I was released, my body crumpling to the floor as the blackness threatened to take over my vision.

I was about to close my eyes, to rest them, just for a moment, when something flashed out of the corner of my eye. A little gleam of silver about ten feet away. My stake.

I looked back to the chaos in front of me. The Strigoi had turned on each other. If they were distracted maybe I could get away.

I slowly began to crawl, my eyes flicking back and forth between the stake and the fight in front of me. I was so close now, maybe another five feet. And I was getting closer to the dimly lit street light with every inch. Closer to where help might see me. I glanced up to the guardians. They were almost done fighting now; down to even numbers. If I got lucky, one of them would finish his kill and notice me. I still couldn't risk yelling out and distracting them, but maybe there was a chance. Maybe I could make it out of this.

Almost there.

I let out a shrill scream when I felt a cold hand grip my ankle, yanking me back into the darkness.

I felt a hand clamp over my mouth and kicked furiously as my body was crushed against a large one behind me.

"Now you've done it! They probably heard her!" The other Strigoi hissed, reaching down to hold my feet; lifting me and immobilising me all at once. I had a bizarre sense of déjà vu. A flashback to a very familiar scene at my wedding. But this wasn't Eddie and Mikhail kidnapping me as part of a silly game. Dimitri wasn't coming to find me. This was life and death.

"Let's go. Now!"

My eyes filled with tears as I felt the ground move beneath me. Dimitri wasn't coming to find me. He would assume I was in the van.

_This is it. I'm going to die._

Die or become a Strigoi and kill my best friend.

I tried to fight, struggling in vain to make it difficult for them; but my body was so weak. I could feel the familiar pull of blackness threatening to drag me into the dark abyss of unconsciousness. Into certain death - into a fate worse than death.

I felt reality slipping through my fingers when I suddenly hit the ground; cold, wet concrete slamming into me. I blinked in confusion, fighting through the haze as I took in the scene around me.

The Strigoi were on the defensive, backing up against the sidewall of the alley as they snarled in anger.

I watched in a confused haze as one of the Strigoi let out a scream of pain as the stake pierced through his chest repeatedly. The leather duster of his attacker flailed in the wind as he thrust the stake over and over again, slamming the body into the wall with incredible speed and force. Before the other Strigoi even had a chance to react, he was dead too. The silver stake thrust so hard into his chest that he remained standing, impaled against the wall.

My saviour turned, rushing to where I lay and dropping down beside me. His face was panicked, dishevelled, with pieces of hair caked to his face by sweat and blood. He searched my body with his eyes, settling on my head and neck. He lifted it gently, pushing my hair to the side to carefully inspect the damage.

"Roza?" He said, his voice laced with panic as he searched my face. What did he see? Was this real? "Roza, can you hear me?"

I watched him carefully, my eyes hazy as I took in the sight of him. The glow of the moon behind his head looked like a halo. It made him look like an angel.

My avenging angel.

Dimitri.

"Hey comrade," I managed to mumble before I let the darkness pull me under.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed. Please let me know what you're thinking! I know it was a bit different to what I've been doing but I felt a hankering for a bit of drama. What do you think - should I continue with this storyline or get back to the romance?**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for all your comments. I truly do appreciate every one of them and it's so nice to know people like my writing! They always make me smile and I'm so glad that everyone liked the last chapter and storyline. **

**In sticking with the consensus I am continuing with the storyline.  
Enjoy :)**

* * *

**DPOV**

I heard a familiar scream and my body froze. I hesitated, listening intently for any other sound. It couldn't be her. She escaped with this others.

The Strigoi made a lunge for me and I barely had time to sidestep his attack. My shoulder bore the brunt of the hit; it groaned in protest as I pushed it back into place. Luckily, I managed to remain otherwise unscathed. I cursed myself silently when I realised the Strigoi had left his chest exposed in his hastiness to take advantage of my distraction. That was my chance and I missed it.

I turned, shaking my head free of distractions as I faced my opponent again. As I came to face him I found the Strigoi studying me closely. He had a cold smirk on his face, his head cocked to the side as he examined me.

"Sounds like your little girlfriend's in trouble," he said, his smirk spreading into a grin as he watched my expression shift to one of horror.

My breathing stopped, my stomach clenching in fear as my eyes flitted briefly towards the source of the sound. Did Rose come back to help? Was she in trouble?

He lunged again, no doubt expecting my distraction to be my end. Unfortunately for him, the Strigoi didn't quite understand how I operated. If Rose was in trouble, it would take a hell of a lot more than one ancient to keep me from her.

I dodged his attack easily. I could feel the adrenaline in my body increasing tenfold, my limbs burning with renewed strength.

I turned quickly, using the Strigoi's momentum against him as I shoved into him with brute force. In the next second, I was slamming my stake through his back and into his heart. It was a difficult kill to make, going through the back, but in my current state it felt as easy as slicing a knife through hot butter.

I didn't spare a glance for my fellow guardians as he crumpled to the ground in front of me. I grabbed my stake and sprinted in the direction of the scream.

I slowed my pace as I approached, silently making my way towards the darkness of the alley. I cautiously scanned my surroundings as I went, desperately searching for any sign of her. I paused when a little gleam of silver caught my eye. A stake. My stomach clenched in dread when I got a closer look. Her stake. _Please God, no._ The little geometric symbols stared up at me... mocking me... screaming at me that I was too late. I shoved down the crippling feeling of dread; instead focusing all of my energy into my search as I sped up my pace.

My breathing stopped when I saw two figures carrying a third between them through the darkness. Her long ponytail dangling to the ground underneath left no doubt in my mind.

Roza.

I saw red as I watched the Strigoi carry her body away. She wasn't moving... she wasn't fighting them. Was she hurt...? Was she...? My mind reeled as I swallowed the chunks of bile rising at the back of my throat. I pushed through my panic, focusing all of my energy on my hatred towards these two creatures for laying a hand on her.  
I charged, slamming into one of the Strigoi with the full force of my weight.

He let out an enraged snarl, turning to face me as the other one joined him.

Their eyes widened as their gazes landed on me and they both started to stumble backwards as I advanced on them. I'm not sure what they saw, but I hadn't seen Strigoi look so afraid in a long time. Not since I was a one of them myself. I channelled it, remembering the rush I felt from the fear in their eyes. The satisfaction I felt as they begged for mercy that they knew would never come.

I felt detached from my body, unaware of my movements as I heard the repeated slam of a body hitting the wall behind it. Within seconds they were both dead, the lifeless eyes of one of the Strigoi staring back at me from where he stood, impaled against the wall.  
I breathed hard, focusing on feeling the anger slowly dissolving from my body as I returned to myself.

Roza.

I turned to find her body lying motionless on the wet concrete. Her eyes were open, glazed and unseeing.

_No, no, no. _

I dropped to my knees, examining her body from head to toe. I let out a breath I didn't realise I had been holding when I saw the shallow rise and fall of her chest. My gaze rose to meet hers and that's when I noticed the blood trickling down through her hair and onto her neck.

I lifted her head gently, carefully pushing her thick hair to the side to inspect the damage.

Fucking Christ.

"Roza?" I choked. Was she going to die?

She couldn't die.

I wouldn't survive it.

"Roza, can you hear me?" I studied her glazed expression, desperate for any sign of recognition. Please let her be okay. Please. I'll do anything. Please...  
Her gaze shifted slightly and I leaned closer, desperate for her to come back to me.

"Hey, comrade," she mumbled and my heart leapt with hopefulness. That hope came crashing down again when her eyes fluttered to a close and her body went slack in my arms.

There was a long moment of dreadful silence before I heard the sound of footsteps slapping on the wet concrete. I stiffened, shifting into a defensive position in front of her body. I reached for my second stake; ready to thrust it into the heart of anything that came near her. My Roza.

Two shadows appeared in the darkness and a low growl rumbled from my chest as I moved to a standing position.

"Belikov!"

I remained standing, my eyes searching for danger. After a long moment, Stevens and Lehner came into view.

I watched closely as they took in my stance, their gazes shifting to the ground behind me.

Lehner slowed to a walk, his arms raised in surrender as he studied me closely.

He turned to Stevens, muttering something under his breath before Stevens turned; sprinting back towards the direction they came from.

"Belikov, the Strigoi are all dead. The Alchemists are on their way." He continued to walk towards me, his gaze never leaving mine. "The danger is gone," he added.

He watched me closely as he reached Roza. His eyes flitted down to her body before they met mine, silently asking for permission. When I didn't move to stop him he lowered to the ground next to her. His fingers went to her neck, holding there for a long moment.

"She's alive," he said, his gaze meeting mine. _She's alive. She's alive. _I chanted it to myself over and other again. Why couldn't I shake this feeling of dread? "Her pulse is weak but she's a fighter." His gaze flicked to her neck and head and he reached forward, gently pushed her matted hair to the side. "Give me your shirt."

I shrugged off my duster, placing it over her body before I removed my shirt and handed it to Lehner. He balled it up, lifting her head and pressing it against the worst of the damage.

"We'll get her to the Queen. The Queen can heal her."

I nodded, bending to gently pick her up while Lehner continued to apply pressure to her head.

"She's going to be okay, Belikov," he said, his tone guarded as his gaze met mine.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat as I stared down at Roza's unconscious body.

A van screeched to a halt at the mouth of the alley and Lehner and I broke into a run. I kept my arms locked to my chest, careful not to jostle Roza. As we approached the van Stevens jumped out of the passenger seat, swinging the side door open and ushering us inside. I lay Roza down across the backseat, taking the shirt out of Lehner's hands and applying pressure as the van shot forward.

"The Queen has been informed," Harris said from the driver's seat. Horns blared around us as he weaved in and out of traffic. "She'll ready and waiting for us at Court."

"At Court?" I asked incredulously, looking up from Roza to meet Lehner's concerned gaze. "What do you mean? Court is forty minutes away! She can meet us somewhere closer!"

Lehner closed his eyes, refusing to meet my gaze as he took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"You know we can't do that," he said, shaking his head from side to side. After a long moment he finally opened his eyes, meeting my gaze with an intense look. "You have to be careful, Belikov. There's been an attempt on the Queen's life. You can't be seen even suggesting that she meets us outside the safety of Court. We need to follow protocol." He paused, his face contorting as if his next words pained him. "They come first."

_They come first._

How many times had I drilled that into Roza? Indoctrinated that vile propaganda into her trusting head. It was a despicable lie for me to even pretend that her life was less valuable than a Moroi's. It was a lie I told myself time and time again during my time at the Academy, when my feelings for Roza began to creep up on me. I had shoved them back, fighting against them and refusing to feel as I repeated that wicked lie over and over again like some kind of sick mantra.

_They come first. They come first. They come first. They come first._

Something inside me snapped.

They DO NOT come first!

"I couldn't give a shit about protocol! No one comes before Rose!" I yelled, staring at him in pure rage. "My wife is dying!" My voice trembled with anger as I looked at my colleague. He was Roza's friend. Did he not care if she lived or died? Was he that brainwashed? "Lissa can't be okay with this!" I continued, my voice turning pleading, "She'll want to help. We have to let her help."

"_Her Majesty's _opinion doesn't matter in times of crisis," Lehner said, giving me a pointed look for my lapse of formal title. "The council can take over in matters involving her safety. There's been a threat to her life and the council will take that very seriously. This is the way it's happening, Dimitri. We're getting Rose back as soon as we can, but there's nothing else we can do."

I made a noise of disgust, glaring at Lehner as he met my gaze apologetically.

"I'm breaking every traffic law in this State if it means getting us there faster, Belikov," Harris called from the front. As if to illustrate his point, he laid on the horn, weaving to the wrong side of the road to overtake a group of cars going too close to the speed limit.

I smacked the seat in front of me in frustration before I bent down, dotting Roza's hair with kisses.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her over and over again. _I'm sorry that you're hurt. I'm sorry that Lissa's life will always matter more than yours. I'm sorry that there's nothing I can do to change that._

After what felt like an eternity I rose to find Lehner watching me closely.

"This is fucked up," I told him, making no attempt to hide the revulsion in my voice. "You know that right?"

He was silent for a long moment, seeming to be considering his next words very carefully.

"It's always been fucked up," he finally whispered, staring out the front windshield as the highway raced away underneath us.

"I'm not disagreeing with you, Belikov," he said after another long stretch of silence. "Rose is my friend, her life matters to me. Even if she wasn't my friend, her life should still matter. But you need to remember that the Royals are watching you closely. They aren't happy that you've broken the status quo. The conservatives are looking for any reason to ruin your career, to point to your relationship as evidence of your lack of dedication. You and Rose are a symbol to us all that guardians can have more, don't risk that. Please."

I scoffed, lowering my face into my hands. "It's hard to worry about such trivial things when the love of my life is dying."

"I know..." he said, his voice laced with sadness. "I know. But maybe one day this won't seem so trivial. I'm an optimist, Dimitri. I believe there is good in the world. I believe in a future where guardians are _free. _And I believe your relationship means something. Anyone else would have caved to the pressure, but not you two. You're two of the best and you knew it. You bulldozed your way through to the top of Royal Guard despite what people said about you – about your past and your relationship. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, you've changed our world for the better." He leaned across the seat, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "There are far better things ahead, Dimitri. You just need to keep fighting a little longer."

I stared down at Roza's face as I considered his words. Keep fighting? I was tired of fighting. I wish we had run away when we had the chance. Why didn't I fight her harder on it? Lissa would be fine without her; she would always be surrounded by the best.

_You can't force her to be safe_. _She'd hate you for making her abandon Lissa. _

Rose was an untameable force and it was wrong for me to want to change that.

I held back a sigh of frustration at that harsh reality. Rose would never want to stop fighting. It was who she was; it was her very essence. Rose Hathaway fought the impossible and she always won.

"I love her," I finally whispered into the deafening silence.

"I know," he replied, his voice low and heavy. "It isn't fair that we live in a world where you feel like you can't protect her... Like putting her life above the lives of others makes you a disgrace." He shook his head before resting it against the cold glass of the window.

"She'll be okay, Dimitri," he continued after a long pause. "I really believe that. And I really believe that we'll reach a place soon where guardians don't have to hide in the shadows. You've just got to hold on a little while longer."

After a long moment I nodded; I didn't have the energy to fight him on this. I focused my energy onto stroking Roza's hair softly as the van raced down the dark highway. Was it heading towards a better future? Or was each second bringing me closer to the beginning of the end of everything? I didn't know. And every second seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

* * *

With every passing second the rise and fall of Rose's chest seemed to be getting shallower, her heartbeat fading away and taking my life with it.

"Harris!" I called, glancing back and forth between Rose and the road in front of us in desperation. "How much longer?"

"Only a few minutes!" He called and I heard the steady groan of protest from the engine as Harris pressed his foot down, pushing the car to its limits. "The Queen is just inside the gates, as soon as we enter the wards she can get to Rose."

I nodded, pressing my shirt harder against Roza's head. As I squeezed the fabric blood splattered onto the floor of the van, soaking my hand in the process.

_Fuck, she's lost so much blood_.

I stared at the thick pool of red. The sight of it made me sick. I felt even sicker still that I used to enjoy the sight of it as a Strigoi... That I _stole _it from her and used it for my own pleasure like it wasn't the most precious substance on this planet.

"Call the gate and let them know we're coming!" Harris called from the front seat.

Before I could even react Lehner had out his phone and was making the arrangements, giving them our licence plate number of ordering them to let us straight through.

"Hang on, Roza," I whispered. "Just a little longer. Lissa will help you soon. Just hold on a little longer."

We finally reached the gates and Harris zoomed past the security checks. In the next second, the van pulled to a screeching halt and Lehner threw the side door open.

Vasilisa sprinted on board and dropped to her knees before Rose. The dark red pool she dropped into was a shocking contrast to her pale skin. I looked away, focusing on her movements as she gently placed her hands over the worst from the damage, closing her eyes in concentration.

I watched the rise and fall of Roza's chest intently, worried to touch her in case it interfered with her healing at all.

After what felt like an eternity of tense silence I noticed it. Her chest movements increased, seeming to get steadier with each passing second. I stared in astonishment. No matter how many times I saw spirit in action it never ceased to amaze me. It had bought this incredible woman back from the dead. It had brought my soul back from a fate worse than death. I reached over cautiously, gently placing my hand over her chest.

I let out a sob of relief when I felt the steady thrum of her heartbeat. I'd felt it so much in the last five years; thrumming underneath my body as it pressed against her in our sparring sessions, or in our lovemaking, or during those rare precious lazy mornings together. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. I'd be the luckiest man in the world to feel it every day for the rest of my life.

Out of my peripheral vision I saw Christian rush forward, his arms reaching out to catch Lissa as she collapsed into his arms. I stiffened, reaching forward to help but Christian shook his head, lifting her with ease.

"Get us to the Palace!" he called as he lifted Lissa to the seat opposite Rose.

I felt the relief washing over me as Rose's heartbeat grew stronger under my hand with every passing moment. She was still unconscious, but with a wound that severe she might still be for a while. It didn't matter. She was okay. My Roza was okay.

"Thank you," I whispered to Lissa's unconscious form as the van roared to life beneath us.

Christian gave a small smile, his gaze focused on Lissa as he brushed her hair back from her face.

"What happened?" He asked after a long moment of silence.

"An ambush," I said, shaking my head. What had we been thinking? "I'm sorry, Christian. We never should have taken her outside of the wards. We won't put her life in danger like that again."

He looked up, his blue eyes piercing mine. "You don't need to apologise to me, Dimitri. This was no one's fault." His gaze shifted to the ceiling, the weight of the world seeming to emanate from him. "It feels like nowhere is safe anymore," he whispered eventually. "Like no matter how hard we train or what we do the Strigoi are always better. Was it always this way? Were things always this bad?"

"They weren't," I said sadly, remembering my early days as a guardian. The Strigoi had always been a threat, but never before on this scale. In recent years they had learned to work together, and our numbers were suffering as a result. "It seems like with every passing day the Strigoi are multiplying. There simply aren't enough of us to keep them at bay. I guess we can only hope that Sonya and Adrian's work into the Strigoi vaccine pays off soon... Without it I fear for the fate of our world."

He shook his head, staring off into the distance. "This world is crazy," he said after a long moment of silence. His gaze shifted back to mine again and I was surprised to see tears shining behind his eyes. "Thank you for getting her out, Dimitri - for putting your life on the line for hers. You shouldn't have to do that. It's a debt we can never repay."

I nodded, unsure of how to respond. Lehner's words were echoing through my mind. _There are far better things ahead, Dimitri. You just need to keep fighting a little longer._

I closed my eyes, emptying my mind of everything except for the steady beat of Roza's heart under my palm.

A few minutes later we arrived outside the Palace. Lehner helped Christian lift Lissa as I carried Roza out of the van and up the stairs to our apartment.

I asked Christian to let me know when Lissa woke and he asked me to do the same. I nodded, bidding him farewell as I headed in the direction of our front door.

With a little difficulty I managed to unlock it, stepping through the threshold. I had a flashback to the last time I had done this with Roza, on the night of our wedding. Everything had been perfect that day. We were just us. Just Rose and Dimitri. The weight of the responsibility we carried for the lives of others was absent from our chests that day. I'd give anything to go back to it, to the simplicity of swearing to protect and cherish only the wonderful woman in my arms.

After I kicked the door shut behind me I stood in the foyer for a long moment, unsure of what to do with myself. I looked down at Roza's unconscious form. She was filthy, her clothes and body covered in grime and blood from the fight.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I whispered, planting a small kiss on her hair.

I placed her gently on the floor in the bathroom while I got the bath running and undressed her. I then placed her into the bath, gently washing away the dirt before I put the plug in to let the water fill. When the bath started to fill I undressed and hopped in behind her, holding her up with her back pressed against my chest.

I began to focus on her hair, grabbing the shampoo and gently massaging the blood from her locks before filling a jug and rinsing. I cringed as the water turned red beneath us. I hated the sight. I leaned forward and pulling the plug again, watching in relief as the crimson evidence of this horrible night spiralled down the drain.

Ten minutes later I had Roza washed and was placing her under the covers. I was placing a second pillow under her head when her eyes fluttered open to meet mine. I beamed, my heart fluttering with relief as I leaned forward to plant kisses all over her face.

"You're okay?" I checked between kisses.

She nodded, grabbing my hand in hers and touching it gently to her lips.

"Thanks for saving me, comrade."

I nodded, biting back tears as I stroked her hair, studying her face closely. _She's so beautiful. _She could never not be beautiful to me.

"Always."

* * *

**Yay, Rose is okay! **

**What do you guys think of Dimitri's chat with Lehner?**

**I have something exciting planned for next chapter but I'm worried you guys might hate me :/**


	20. Chapter 20

**Here it is :) **

**Sorry that it's quite a short chapter. I have exams (last ones ever!) but I still wanted to get in a weekly update because I'm moving states next week so I will be super busy! **

**The next chapter's mostly finished so I will hopefully keep with the weekly updates.**

* * *

**DPOV **

I pushed the scrambled eggs on top of the eight pieces of toast that I had laid out for Rose and me. I then grabbed the plates and turned towards the dining room before I placed one down in front of Rose and took my seat opposite her.

She gave me a small appreciative smile before she dug into her meal without a word. The silence was almost deafening and that small gesture alone made my heartache.

After a few minutes, I couldn't stand the silence anymore. I couldn't stand the way the air felt thick with tension, so thick that I could have suffocated on it. It had been like this for days, us dancing around each other tersely, barely speaking. I couldn't stand another second of it.

"How are you feeling for the council meeting today?" I asked as I shovelled a forkful of eggs and toast into my mouth.

She chewed for a long moment before she answered.

"Okay," she said with a small shrug, not meeting my gaze. "It's just reciting my report. Nothing to be nervous about."

When her gaze still didn't meet mine I let out a sigh and averted my gaze to focus on the plate in front of me. I didn't know how to fix this.

Rose had been quiet and distant ever since the council had placed her, Christian, Lissa and me on lockdown following the attack. Well, she had been mostly quiet. When the decision was first made she had been furious, insisting that she was a fully trained Blood Master Seven and didn't need to be treated like a child. But the council didn't care. Naturally, they were deeply concerned when Rose had detailed what the Strigoi had said to her and they were taking every possible precaution.

I shook my head at the memory of how incredibly confused I had been when the decision was handed down. I wasn't even aware that anything serious had happened until the council had placed us on lockdown and forbade us from leaving Court. Rose had been infuriatingly vague on the details of that night whenever I'd asked. When she'd finally woken, she had glossed over the details, telling me only that the Strigoi had ambushed her and that she was knocked unconscious. When we had left the meeting I had quizzed Rose on what happened again, and when she gave me another ambiguous response I knew that she was hiding something. So after my next shift, I had snuck onto the filing system at Guardian Headquarters and read her report.

I wish I hadn't.

Reading the details of what the Strigoi had said to her had made my skin crawl and my blood run cold.

_After you're awakened you'll feel no allegiance to the Queen. You'll tell us everything you know. But we'll have some fun with you before that._

The nightmares had started again that night. Roza in that awful room at Gallina's estate, looking at me with frightened eyes as I toyed with her... Used her body for my own sick pleasure.

But the nightmares were even worse now because they didn't stop there. Instead, they continued until I bit down into her soft flesh, draining her dry as she went limp in my arms. In the nightmare I am _him _again. I enjoy the taste of her blood as the power drains from her body into mine. I watch with pleasure as the pallor of her skin turns chalky and the temperature turns to ice beneath my fingertips. The nightmare ends when her eyes flash open to meet mine. They are ringed in red; and she gives me a cold smile, her beauty marred by sharp fangs.

After the first nightmare, her safety became almost an obsession. I couldn't get the image of her as one of _them_ out of my head. As a result, I had become absolutely devoted to protecting her. I didn't let her out of my sight. We barely left the apartment. I slept with a gun.

Rose had been furious when I'd gotten us both removed from our duties indefinitely. It was surprisingly easy to do when I argued that our status as targets could potentially put Christian and Lissa at extra risk of harm. I knew my behaviour was extreme, but I would move heaven and earth if it meant that that horrible image never became a reality.

Things had become... tense as a result. I had been furious that she had kept the truth of that night from me and insisted that she not leave my side until the threat was eliminated. But she had been adamant that my reaction was precisely why she had decided to keep the information from me.

To say that Rose was unhappy was a massive understatement. I knew better than anyone how much she hated to sit idle. She was a person of action, and she didn't take kindly to being told what to do.

In one particularly bad argument, she had said that I didn't trust her abilities enough and that I didn't think of her as my equal. That had struck a nerve because it had always been an issue of ours. Our relationship had started on an unequal playing field. Not only was I older, but I was in a position of authority and power. I never wanted her to feel like a child because she wasn't a child to me, but that fact of the matter is that she was. It had taken me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I overstepped that boundary.

As much as it bothered me, it was something that I never really contemplated as bothering her. That was until her comment when we were on the run together that I needed to treat her as my equal. At the time I couldn't believe that she felt that way. I had always thought the world of her; that she was amazing and capable of so much. But years later this idea was rearing its ugly head again. This same comment being made as my protective instincts had once again kicked into overdrive. I couldn't help it. Something deep inside of me took over at even the idea that Rose was in danger.

_Does that mean that I don't think of her as my equal?_

I would never want her to think that. She's the most incredible woman I know. She could do anything she put her mind to. The very fact that I was even sitting here was evidence of just how incredible she was. I didn't mean to smother her or to make her feel like she was incapable of taking care of herself. I've just come too close to losing her too many times now.

"Roza..." I whispered, dropping my fork and reaching out to grab her hand across the table.

She stiffened slightly at my touch and I felt that small rejection tug at my heartstrings. I hated this distance between us. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she slowly raised her eyes to meet my gaze.

"You know I love you, right?" I said, reaching up with my other hand to gently stroke her cheek. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever met. I'm only so protective because I never want to lose you." I paused, swallowing against the lump that had formed in my throat. "The times I've thought I was going to lose you, I was sure I was dying too. You're everything to me. Please understand that."

At my words her gaze lowered again, her hand gripping mine tighter. I couldn't quite place her reaction, it wasn't a way that I would ever expect Rose to react. I'd say her expression looked almost... guilty, but I couldn't think of any reason she would be feeling that way.

"I love you, Dimitri," she finally said, giving my hands another squeeze. "So much."

A small smile tugged at my lips from her words. It was the first time we've said those words to one another in days. We had been so distant and I didn't like it one bit. I never wanted to be distant from her.

I cocked my head to the side when her eyes stayed downcast; she wasn't smiling like I expected her to.

"What's wrong?" I asked, walking around the table to kneel in front of her. I gently tugged at her chin, pulling her face up to meet my gaze.

"You'll always love me, right? No matter what." She asked suddenly and I stared at her, completely taken aback.

"Of course," I answered automatically, looking at her in confusion. "Why would you ask that?"

She shrugged her shoulders again and I had to fight back the feeling of dread that had begun to steadily creep up my spine.

"Roza?" I asked, my tone cautious.

She took a deep breath before she gave a small smile and leaned in to give me a lingering kiss.

"No reason, comrade," she breathed against my lips.

Nothing about this was making any sense. But I decided to ignore it. Instead, I focused on the wonderful feeling of her lips against mine for the first time in what felt like years. I raised my hands to grasp her silky hair and stroked it gently.

"I love you," I whispered against her lips and she moaned, pulling me closer.

She suddenly pulled back and stood up abruptly. I stared at her in confusion for a moment, but before I could get offended she grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Make love to me," she demanded as she pulled me back towards our bedroom.

I nodded, following her hand into the bedroom and pushing back my growing feeling of unease.

* * *

**What is Rose hiding?**

**Don't forget to comment and let me know what you think/what your theories are! **


	21. Chapter 21

"All rise for Queen Vasilisa Dragomir."

The crowd fell silent as Vasilisa entered with Christian and took her seat at the head of the room. Her expression was grave and she looked quite sallow. It struck me that I hadn't seen her since my self imposed exile with Roza. She didn't look well and I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I'd taken away her best friend in an already difficult time. With everything going on she could have really used Rose's guidance.

With a wave of her hand the council were seated and the guardians posted firmly against the walls surrounding the table.

"I think we all know why we're here today," Vasilisa began in a weary voice. "The Strigoi problem is getting out of hand. Like the attack on the Academy all those years ago, it seems that the Strigoi have once again united in their mission to uproot our world. The purpose of this meeting is to strategise options to minimise the threat to our government. We'll start with an eyewitness report from the latest attack." She looked towards the back of the room where Roza had entered. "Guardian Hathaway," she said with a nod.

Rose entered the room, her head held high as she stood at the head of the table. She cleared her throat before she began.

"We left the venue at approximately 1:45 am. Following a quick perimeter check by the far guards, we escorted Queen Vasilisa from the premises towards the vans. A minute later approximately 10-15 Strigoi surrounded us in an ambush attack. We fought the Strigoi for approximately 1-2 minutes using the near and far ring technique. Guardian Castile enacted the _Salutem _protocol and the Queen was escorted to the van by Guardians Matthews, Willis, Jones, Castile and myself, as well as Sydney Sage. Contained in this protected group were two other Moroi: Mia Rinaldi and Jill Mastrano Dragomir..."

I focused on my breathing and a spot against the far wall as Rose continued reading her report. Reading those words once was enough; I didn't need to hear them.  
When Rose finally finished speaking the tension in the air was palpable. The determination by the Strigoi to get to the Queen and uproot our government was unprecedented. Whilst it had always been a goal of theirs, it had never before been attempted on this scale.

"I think it's fairly clear," Lord Mariano finally said, breaking the silence. "We need to go into complete lockdown."

"We've already placed the Queen, Lord Ozera and Guardians Hathaway and Belikov on lockdown." Hans pointed out.

"Yes, but that's not enough!" Another Royal cried. "If the Strigoi are at large on this scale there needs to be absolute protection behind the wards at Court. We need to pull our children out of school again and converge in heavily warded communities. There's strength in numbers."

"They're only focused on the Queen," Hans argued calmly. "There aren't enough guardians to do things that way anymore. Our recourses need to be here, at Court."

"Who's to say they're only after the Queen!" Lord Badica exclaimed. "Our children could be next! We need to pull novices out of school and get them out into the field! Heaven knows they're ready; it's what they're trained for."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath through my nose. _Not this argument again_. Whenever the Royals were scared it always seemed to rear its ugly head. Sending undertrained novices into the field was a sure way to reduce our numbers even further, but Royals didn't seem to think logically when it came to the Strigoi threat.

"We are not sending _children _into the field, Lord Badica," Vasilisa interrupted, her tone icy.

"Then how can we keep _our_ children safe?" Another Royal exclaimed, her voice desperate. "Never before has the fate of our world been in such jeopardy. We need to take drastic action!"

"Our actions in times of crisis define us," Vasilisa said calmly, demanding the attention of the room again. "Who are we to send children to their deaths just because we are scared? What would that say about us? The Dhampir protect us out of a sense of duty and honour because they see us as a good – a species worthy of their protection. Even when it is hard... even when we are scared... we must strive to live up to that reputation."

"It's their job!" Lord Badica spat and I watched as many of the guardians in the room visibly flinched at his words. "The threat is clear," he continued. I watched in disgust as many of the Royals nodded in agreement with him. "We need to change and adapt to this threat. Our world as we know it could be coming to an end!"

The room turned in shock when Rose let out a loud laugh.

_Oh no._  
"You guys are kidding, right? This is the best news we've gotten in years!"

I stared at Rose incredulously. _Is she insane? _I looked around the room and saw that I wasn't alone; everyone was staring at Rose in absolute disbelief.

"You know what this means right?" Rose continued after a long moment of heavy silence. "Half the Strigoi population are after Queen Vasilisa. They want an end to the offensive magic programs at all costs. They want an end to her investigations into Spirit and Strigoi restoration. For the first time in our existence, we have the upper hand! For the first time in our existence, the Strigoi are _scared_. We can't back down now! We can't run and hide like we have been for centuries. Now's the time! It's time to fight."

The atmosphere in the room turned apprehensive as Rose's words sunk in. What she was suggesting went against every custom and practice we had ever adhered to. I felt myself step towards her instinctively, ready to intervene against the heavy backlash that I could feel building in the room. I caught myself quickly and stepped back, planting myself against the wall and back into the shadows. _Where we belong_, I thought to myself bitterly.

"And just how do you propose we do that?" Lord Badica said, his tone condescending. "It's never been done before! We've survived for centuries by playing it _smart_. We need to increase guardian numbers. The only way to do that is to employ novices."

Rose shook her head in annoyance, meeting his gaze head on.

"There's a difference between playing it smart and playing it safe. Is that how we want to live our lives? Constantly cowering in fear? Never having the strength or the courage to fight? That won't be my legacy."

There was a murmur amongst the council members at what Rose was implying. Lord Badica glared at Rose, his expression full of contempt.

"What did you just say to me?" He asked incredulously.

_Be careful, Rose._

"What is your idea, Guardian Hathaway?" Vasilisa asked, trying to break the tension in the room and give Rose a way out of this.

Rose's gaze shifted to Vasilisa and then to me briefly before I saw the resolve take over her features.

Something in her expression made my stomach clench. I had a feeling all of my questions were about to be answered, but I wasn't sure that I wanted them to be.

"The Strigoi are after Queen Vasilisa," Rose began, demanding the attention of the room. "But they were also interested in taking me back to Gabriel to get information about her whereabouts. What if I went out of Court and got caught. On purpose."

My stomach dropped and I watched as Lissa's face shifted to one of horror and Christian's head dropped into his hands as Rose continued.

"I can have a tracking device hidden somewhere, so when they take me to Gabriel's base the location will be immediately relayed back to Court." She paused, a small smile coming over her features as I battled a wave of nausea. "Then we can send a damn army into this nest. We can take out an unprecedented chunk of the Strigoi population in one hit." She made a chopping motion through the air with her hand before it landed on the table with a loud smack. "Cut off the head of the snake."

The room was silent and I was frozen, my feet nailed to the floor. After what felt like eternity of the walls closing in around me, I finally came back to myself.

"No! Absolutely not!" I bellowed. I started rushing towards Rose when I felt a hand clamp over my shoulder, pulling me back to my position against the wall. I turned in annoyance to find Lehner staring at me, a warning in his eyes as he slowly shook his head.

"I didn't realise this was a Dhampir meeting." Lord Badica sneered without even sparing a glance in my direction.

"Let him speak," Vasilisa ordered; earning another surprised murmur from the council.

I stepped forward, staring at Rose in pure panic. _I can't lose her_.

"They're after me too!" I cried, turning my pleading gaze to Vasilisa. "Send me instead!"

Rose shook her head, refusing to meet my gaze as she addressed the council. "They won't keep both of us," she said. "They made it pretty clear on that night that _I_ was the preferable target after the Queen. Besides, they also hinted that they didn't intend to turn me straight away. They'll try and get information out of me first, I think. If Guardian Belikov went there is no guarantee that they wouldn't use him as bait but kill him at the first possibility. The worst-case scenario if I go is that they turn me." I stared at her incredulously. _Is she fucking _kidding _me?_ She ignored my expression, shrugging her shoulders. "When you do the raid you can just restrain me and Sonya or Nina can turn me back. Hell, I'm sure Adrian would even get off his medication for a bit and do it if we gave him enough notice."

I stared at her, my mouth gaping open in horror.

"You can't be serious! Is that actually supposed to make me feel better?" I cried, desperately trying to meet her gaze. She still refused to look at me. I turned to Lissa in pure panic. "Vasilisa! You can't seriously be considering this!" I heard murmurs from the council as I addressed the Queen without her formal title. Lissa silenced them with a lift of her hand, motioning for me to continue. "This is sick!" I yelled, my eyes pleading with her. "There are so many ways this could go wrong!"

I stood there reeling, my hands flying to my hair as the images from my nightmare once again invaded my mind. I knew better than anyone how the Strigoi mind operated. I knew first hand what they would do to her before they turned her.

_Fuck! _

The worst image of all was Roza as one of them - warm, passionate, _good_ Roza. I felt bile rise to my throat as I saw it; her tanned complexion paled, her warm eyes turned cold and conniving, ringed in red.

Turn her back? Maybe we could, but not before she did something she'd spend the rest of her life regretting. I couldn't let her live with the crippling guilt, the images and the memories that haunted my subconscious every single day.

"You don't understand what you're saying," I whispered, staring at her pleadingly.

Rose's gaze stayed guiltily on the table as I begged with her and my heart felt like it had dropped to my stomach.

"I don't like the risk to Guardian Hathaway," Hans said, his tone thoughtful. "But I can't deny that, given we had the proper protective measures in place, it would give us the upper hand. For once we could be on the offensive instead of the defensive."

I turned to glare at Hans and took a step towards him before I felt Lehner's hand again grab me by the arm. I shook it off in annoyance.

"No, it's not happening!" I roared, glaring at Hans. How could he do this to Rose? How was he even entertaining this idea?

"It's not up to you, Dhampir," Lord Badica sneered before I turned my fury on him.

"Enough!" Lissa interrupted and the table fell silent immediately. I took a step back, taking a deep breath and trying to collect myself. "Guardian Belikov is right. The risk is unacceptable."

I let out a sigh of relief. Lissa would never let this happen.

"One Dhampir life to take out half of America's Strigoi doesn't seem so unacceptable to me," Lord Badica shrugged. "Their numbers are getting too high. Something must be done."

It took everything in my power not to lunge at him.

"You're walking a thin line, Lord Badica," Lissa said coolly. "Every life is valuable."

"You're only saying that because she's your friend," he said, shaking his head in annoyance. Rose studied him closely, seeming to be waiting for something. "See this is the problem with electing a child!" He continued, standing to demand the attention of the room. I had to physically hold myself back from wiping that smug look off his face. "Every victory must come with sacrifices. If you aren't prepared to make sacrifices for the good of your people, Queen Vasilisa, then you don't understand the weight of your duties."

The guardians ringing the room shifted uncomfortably at his words - at his blatant disregard for Dhampir life. We were the only ones who ever bore the weight of those 'sacrifices'.

"I understand my duties better than most, Lord Badica," Lissa said in an icy tone. "I serve _all _of my people, Dhampir and Moroi."

The room was filled with tense silence, with Lissa and Badica locked in an intense battle of wills across the long table.

After almost a full minute of uncomfortable silence, Rose spoke.

"He's right," she said as half the room turned to look at her incredulously. Lord Badica looked smug, but Rose's expression was sly, almost like she was waiting for this line of argument. "Ending this war won't come without sacrifices. I've come to terms with mine and I am prepared to make it for the good of our people." There was a murmur of agreement among the council members and I felt sick. "But more than just the Dhampir need to make sacrifices!" She paused for dramatic effect, demanding the attention of the room. The energy had shifted, excitement radiating off of the guardians, as they stood stony-faced in the background. "I'll do my part, but to defeat the Strigoi we need to change _everything _about our approach. It's time to put the offensive magic programs in the field. Without them, we don't stand a chance against so many Strigoi."

There was a long moment of shocked silence as the words echoed around the room.

"You can't be serious!" Lord Badica erupted. "What you're saying is treacherous! Learning to defend ourselves in the worst-case scenario is one thing. You're talking about knowingly sending Moroi into battle! That is absolutely unacceptable."

"Why not, Lord Badica?" Rose asked, a smile playing on her lips. "If you aren't prepared to make sacrifices for the good of your people then _you_ don't understand the weight of your duties."

He sat, his mouth opening and closing in surprise as his own argument was used against him.

There was a long moment of absolute silence before all hell broke loose.

I glanced around at the excited conversations in panic. Some of the more conservative council members looked disgusted by the idea, but most of the guardian council and the guardians lining the room looked eager at the prospect.

_This is what she's been hiding_, I realised in dread. All the silence and guilty looks, her intensity during our lovemaking just an hour ago, suddenly all made sense. I stared at her in shock, the weight of her betrayal finding purchase on my chest.

"Those are my terms!" Rose yelled over the chaos, demanding their attention yet again. "I'm prepared to offer myself as bait to get the location of their base, but I won't allow my sacrifice to be in vain. We need to eradicate this nest of Strigoi once and for all. The Moroi working alongside guardians with magic is the only way."

I looked around the room in panic to find the council divided. The guardians in the room were radiating excitement, expect for Lehner and a few members of the Royal Guard who were looking at me with pity.

Vasilisa was looking at Rose with sadness in her eyes, obviously torn between her friend and her duty to do right by her people. She and Christian had been working to get this program past the council for years, and this could be the final push they needed.

"Enough," Vasilisa eventually called, silencing everyone in the room. "I can't make this decision alone. I am too close to this to be objective," she said in a grave voice. "I'll call it to a vote. I think it only fair that everyone in this room, guardians included, votes on this issue." She turned to Rose, her expression sombre. "Guardian Hathaway, I'll give you the option of withdrawing this offer now if you've changed your mind."

Rose's eyes finally met mine before she slowly shook her head, shattering what was left of my heart.

"No," she said, her eyes never leaving mine. "I won't withdraw my offer."

Vasilisa let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay," she said finally. "All those in favour of Guardian Hathaway's plan raise your hand."

I watched in dread as half of the council, as well as a vast majority of the guardians in the room, raised their hands.

_No, no, no._

"Well that settles it," Hans said as he glanced around the room. "We go ahead with the new tactic."

I'd never felt such heaviness on my chest before; I struggled to breathe as the weight pushed down on my lungs.

"Yes..." Lissa said, her eyes downcast. "We'll meet tomorrow to discuss safety tactics. I was every possible precaution taken." She paused, her eyes searching Rose and my faces. "Meeting adjourned," she finally said, waving her hand to dismiss the crowd.

The crowd disbursed and I stumbled forward, falling to my knees in front of Rose.

"Please, Roza!" I begged, taking her hands in mine. "Don't do this."

She squeezed my hands, her eyes rimmed with tears as they met mine. _How could she hide this from me? _She knew what it would do to me. She knew that I'd never agree.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri."

I stared into her eyes as the world slowed around me.

"Please..." I choked, pulling her face between my hands and meeting her gaze with pleading eyes.

She shook her head slowly, her eyes downcast. Only then did the full weight of this settle itself on my chest. She was going to do this. No matter how much I begged. No matter how much she knew letting her go would _kill _me. Her mind was made up, and it had been made up for a while.

I dropped my hands, shaking my head in frustration before I stormed out, slamming the door shut behind me.

* * *

**I knowwwww... Don't kill me! What do you think of Rose's plan? Is it just crazy enough to work, or is it just plain crazy?**

**Don't hate Rose too much for putting Dimitri through this – she believes she's doing the right thing. **

**What do we think? I can go two ways with this... Is anyone keen to see a bit of Strigoi Rose? **

**Either way, don't fret! I will always give our lovebirds a happy ending. **


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm back! I'm so sorry it took so long – I moved cities and started a new job so I've been very flat out. Currently lying on a beach in Fiji so I've got some time to write again. This is a short chapter but I wanted to get something to you. The next chapter is well under works and should be up soon.**

**Happy holidays everyone – my present to you :)**

* * *

**RPOV**

"Please, Roza!" he begged, pulling my hands into his own.

"I'm sorry," I said, the tears threatening to spill over as I stared into his eyes.

"Please..." he choked out, his voice breaking as I felt the world slow around me.

I looked at the man I loved, down on his knees and begging and felt my world shatter. I thought I was doing what was right. I never thought he'd take it this badly.

_You're kidding yourself, Rose. It's why you could never bring yourself to tell him._

_I'm such a coward._

I looked down, unable to stand looking at the desperation I'd caused in the man I loved. I shook my head slowly and felt the ever-growing lump lodge itself in my throat. I couldn't speak. I couldn't look at him. All I could do was sit there and hate myself for what I'd done. All I could do was let the worry and dread wash over.

_Would this be the thing that sends him back to the darkness? Would he ever forgive me? Would I ever forgive myself? _

I worried for my husband. But I also worried for his future. I worried for our world's future. And most importantly, I worried for our future children. Could I bring them into this world, knowing that it was doomed? Knowing that it was only a matter of time and that in the blink of an eye they could be taken from me... that they could be turned into something soulless and evil. Could I really send them to train at the Academies? Could I watch as they trained to risk their lives to protect Moroi who thought so little of them that they wouldn't lift a finger to save them? I loved Lissa and Christian and Adrian and so many of my friends, but the fact is that many of the Moroi aren't worthy of our protection. The attitudes need to change – _we _need to change them. And offensive magic is the only way I can think of to make that happen.

The sound of a door slamming shut behind me jolted me back to reality. I stood quickly, the chair clattering behind me in my haste as I rushed towards the door where Dimitri had just exited.

"Dimitri!" I cried, as I frantically ran through the doors after him. I whipped my head around in search of him but he was nowhere to be found.

"Shit!" I cursed under my breath, as I took off at a jog in a random direction.

_Way to go Rose_. I thought to myself dryly as I desperately searched for my husband. That had gone so much worse than I ever could have imagined. The look on Dimitri's face had nearly broken me in two and a weight the size of an elephant has found purchase on my chest. I took a deep breath through my nose, trying to stop the steadily growing feeling of panic as relentless waves of it came crashing over me.

_Where is he?_

"Rose!"

I stopped dead in my tracks at the shrill sound of my name being carried through the wind.

I turned to see Lissa charging towards me, flanked by the Queen's Guard and a concerned looking Christian. I watched, feeling a tinge of fear for the first time at the sight of my best friend as she barreled towards me, her long dress flying behind her. Lehner met my gaze for a long moment with an unreadable expression before his eyes flitted away.

"What the hell was that?" Lissa hissed as she pulled me into a nearby alleyway. The guards formed a protective barrier in front of us, shielding us from the prying eyes of the outside world.

I sighed. "I'll answer all your questions, but I need to speak to Dimitri first. Please. I need to explain."

"You have a lot of explaining to do," she scolded, her grip on my arm never loosening. "What the hell were you thinking? Are you on some sort of suicide mission?"

I winced as her long manicured nails bit into the flesh of my upper arm.

"No!" I shook my head frantically as I met her gaze. "You have to understand, I'm doing this for all of you."

"Rose," Christian interrupted, stepping forward to meet my gaze with sad eyes as he placed an arm around Lissa. "All we all want is for you to be safe. You don't have to do this."

"I do..." I whispered, "I can't explain– "

I was interrupted when Adrian came barrelling through the guards, making a beeline directly towards me.

"Rose!" he bellowed, grabbing me by my shoulders. "I just ran into Dimitri - tell me this is a sick joke."

My heart fluttered at the mention of his name and some of the weight lifted off from my chest.

"You saw Dimitri?" I exclaimed, peering behind him.

"Yes!" he said, shaking his head and stepping into my line of vision. "The poor man is distraught. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I need to explain to Dimitri first," I pleaded. "Please let me see him."

"No." Adrian shook his head, his expression hard. "He needs time to process this. In the meantime, you can tell me what the hell was going through your head when you decided to do this."

I sighed, my shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Fine," I muttered. I stepped back, slumping my body against the wall of the alley behind me. "The idea had kind of been there for a while, always in the back of my mind and out of sight. After... everything that happened... I remembered something Sydney had said to me once. Suddenly I saw everything in a new light."

Adrian stood, his expression expectant as he waited for me to continue.

"It was during one of our long sessions with Sonya trying to find a vaccine for Strigoi with Spirit. Do you remember? We had been failing at separating it from the blood and making it stick to anything tangible. We were all sitting around, feeling very defeated about ever finding a cure when we began talking about the growing Strigoi population. Sydney had said..." I sighed; I didn't particularly want to throw Sydney under the bus here. It was entirely my own decision.

I watched in dry amusement as Sydney and Adrian simultaneously raised a brow at me, egging me to continue.

"She _suggested _that the Alchemist data pointed towards a complete Strigoi takeover within thirty years. She said that if we remained on the defensive as we have before... she said that it was only a matter of time."

"Damn it, Sydney!" Adrian cursed under his breath as Lissa lowered her head, leaning her body back against Christian.

"You know she's not wrong," I quietly urged. "Something has to change. Other than a miracle breakthrough with the vaccine, the offensive magic program is the best hope we have."

Lissa shook her head, her green eyes rimmed with tears.

"No," she choked, gripping my hand as I reached out to wipe her tears away.

"It doesn't have to happen like this, Rose." Christian urged, "There are other ways we can get the offensive magic program in."

I scoffed, shaking my head sadly. "Do you really believe that? How many years have you and Lissa been trying? Your points are valid, the program is great, but still... it never gets through. This could be our only shot. We have to take it. _I _have to take it."

There was a long moment of silence before a sob broke out of Lissa's chest. I squeezed her hand and reached out my other hand to grip Adrian's. I sucked in a breath when he snapped his hand back, his expression hard before he turned and stalked in the other direction.

Tears brimmed my eyes, threatening to spill over as I turned back to Lissa.

_You're going to lose them. You're going to lose all the people you care about._

"Please understand," I begged, gripping Lissa's hands tightly and meeting Christian's eyes pleadingly. "I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm trying to save you. I'm trying to save us all."

Lissa shook her head, tears streaming down her lovely face.

"How can you expect any of us to be okay with this?" She whispered, her hands dropping from mine. "You've put me in a terrible position. You've made me choose between my duty and my best friend."

"I'm sorry," I choked, closing my eyes and wishing more than anything that I could go back to this morning, back to before... everything. "I'm only trying to do what's right."

Lissa gave a sad smile, reaching up to stroke my cheek.

"I know you are," she finally whispered before she turned around, dragging Christian with her.

I felt my heart shatter again as I watched my best friend walk away. As they retreated, Christian turned back towards me.

"Try the church," he mouthed.

I gave a grateful smile.

The church.

* * *

**Thanks for all your comments on my last chapter, I appreciate each and every bit of feedback!**

**What's everyone thinking? I know a lot of people weren't happy with Rose – I agree, it was very cowardly. But in her heart she thinks she is doing what's best and she was just terrified of telling people. Everyone was VERY against Strigoi Rose which I wasn't expecting haha – I actually had to change my plans for the story a bit but don't worry, I won't do it. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Happy holidays, the promised next chapter is here! Thanks for all your comments. **

**I know some of you still aren't happy with Rose and think she's selfish etc., and I know some of you won't be happy with this chapter either. Please remember that I am writing this story for my own enjoyment – I write whatever ideas come to me and whatever inspires me. I know it may upset some of you but these scenes are important to my plan for this story and I will always make it work out in the end.**

**Enjoy :)**

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DPOV

I sat with my head in my hands, contemplating the mess that had become my life. How quickly life could change; one second you're getting married – you think the world of that person, you think nothing can ever change to make you stop feeling this way. You're so blinded by the happiness that you forget that it can all change in the blink of an eye. In one moment everything you ever thought about a person can come crashing down around you.

I trusted Rose. I trusted her and she betrayed me. She betrayed me in the most public way imaginable, and even the memory of it made my heart feel like it was being split in two. Like it was slowly and torturously being pried open and left to bleed.

"Dimitri..." my body stiffened at the sound of her voice. I didn't expect her to find me so quickly. I was supposed to have more time.

I didn't want to see her. Not now. The memory was too raw.

"Dimitri please..." he voice was getting closer and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing her to leave me in peace.

"Just go," I whispered, praying that she would listen. I didn't have the energy right now. There was nothing I had to say to her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Please, can we talk? I need to explain."

"Explain what?" I exclaimed, raising my head to meet her gaze. "You lied to me!" She jumped back at the loudness of my voice as it echoed around the empty church.

"I'm s-sorry," she stuttered, sounding weaker than I'd ever heard her sound. "I have no excuse... I was a coward. I was afraid of how you'd react and I was certain that you would try to stop me. Can you seriously tell me that you would have let me go to that meeting if you had known?"

Every word she spoke seemed to fan the flame of the anger burning inside of me.

"That doesn't change the fact that you kept this from me," I said, working to keep my voice cool. "We are supposed to be partners."

"I'm sorry!" she repeated, her eyes frantic as she inched closer towards me. She flinched as I moved back in the pew, creating distance between us. "Please," she begged, "I was just scared. But I have to do this Dimitri. I was just afraid that if I told you and saw how scared you were that I would never be able to go through with it. But you understand, don't you? The Strigoi are growing, we need to fight back. This was the only way I could think of to make that happen. I was to save us all, Dimitri. I want to create a better world for our children."

I pinched the bridge of his nose, working to control my anger. _Our children? _How could she bring this up now, with no warning? I didn't even know she was thinking of that – she had never discussed it with me.

_But what children can we have if you're _dead_?_

I took a long moment to respond; working on controlling my breathing so much that my voice came out as barely a whisper.

"Guess what, Rose – I am scared. More than that... you let me beg in front of a room full of people and you still refused me. How do you think that makes me feel?"

She started crying, heavy sobs breaking through the deafening silence. I looked away, focusing on the wall and the steady sound of my breathing.

_In...Out...One...Two...Three..._

At breath fifteen she spoke.

"I'm so sorry!" she begged again. "I really, really am. I kept meaning to tell you, I really did. But then you took finding out about that night so terribly. You made me quit work, Dimitri–"

I scoffed, "Don't you dare blame this on me."

"I'm not..." She said, her hands reaching up to pull her hair as she stood to pace in front of me. "Vlad, I'm not saying this right. I'm trying to explain myself. I know it's not a good enough excuse. I know that I hurt you. I was scared... I didn't see any other way - my judgement was clouded. I knew you would quite literally drag me out of that meeting if you had to. And the closer we got to the meeting, the harder it got to tell you."

Silence hung heavy in the air between us. When it became excruciating I finally spoke.

"I don't know what to say, Rose," I said slowly, focusing on enunciating every word. "Honestly, I don't. How can you expect me to be okay with this? Not only did you lie to me... but on top of that, you're risking your life. You're risking your _soul_. Can you even begin to imagine how that makes me feel? Did you even think for a second about how much pain that would cause me?"

She let out another loud sob, dropping to her knees in front of me.

"I did." She cried. "I'm so, so sorry. I can't imagine how this must feel for you. But I'll be okay. I promise I'll be okay. Remember what Yeva said when I was in hospital? You don't have to worry about me. I'm going to live a long life."

I shook my head in agitation. _Is she serious? That is ludicrous, even for Rose. _

"That doesn't mean you can go around throwing yourself into the path of danger!" I rose to my feet, staring down at her. "Don't tempt fate, Rose." I paused, my chest rising and falling in anger as she stared at me, tears streaming down her face. For once her tears did nothing to dissipate my anger. "God," I continued, "I've always known you were impulsive and that you didn't think things through, but I thought you grew up! I thought I had a real partner now."

"I am your partner," She cried between sobs. "I'm so sorry if I haven't acted like it. I love you more than anything. But I need to do this. I can't explain it, but I just feel like it's right. I think this could be a turning point. If we succeed we'll change our world for the better. Do you trust me?"

"Trust you?" I shook my head, turning away from her. "How could I trust you after this?"

She followed after me on her knees, her loud cries echoing throughout the otherwise silent church.

"If I could turn it all back I would tell you the second the idea came to me," she said. "Please believe that. I would discuss it with you from the first moment it popped into my head. I was scared, and I did a stupid thing. I let my worry get the best of me. But can you really tell me you would have even entertained the idea, even for a second?"

_Of course I wouldn't!_

"No, Rose. I never would have been okay with this. You're talking about risking your life for our world - a world that has done nothing but use and belittle us. How could that ever be right?"

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with so much sadness.

"Sometimes there's a difference between what is right and what is easy," she said after a long moment of heavy silence. "We've been stuck in this pattern for centuries, never having the strength to change it. All it takes is one person to have the courage to change the course of history."

We stood, our gazed interlocked as those heavy words circled around us.

After a long moment, I sighed, running my hand through my hair.

I didn't know how to feel; I didn't know what was right or how a person was meant to react to something like this. I just knew how I felt. I felt betrayed. I felt hurt. I felt _angry_. Never in my life had I thought it would be possible to feel this way towards Rose.

"I don't know, Rose," I said eventually, working to control my face into its practised neutral mask. It was easier this way – to hide behind the mask. Just as when Ivan had died, just as when my Strigoi memories had haunted me; it was easier to be a perfect guardian than it was to feel pain like this. "I need time to think."

"Please..." Rose choked, leaning towards me to grab at my shirt.

I pulled away and I saw her flinch, real fear in her eyes as she looked up to see the all too familiar expressionless mask.

"I said I need time to think," I said coolly, watching impassively as I took a step back and she crumpled to the floor.

* * *

I knocked on the door, working to adjust my bag strap on my shoulder.

A few seconds later Adrian opened the door, immediately handing me a glass of clear liquid.

I muttered my thanks as I grabbed it from him, sculling the cool liquid before I'd even stepped through the threshold. It was Russian vodka, of course.

I stepped into their apartment, dumping my bag onto the couch that had been set up for me as a makeshift bed.

"Where are Sydney and Declan?" I asked, dropping onto the couch with a loud thud.

"Declan's with my mum," Adrian explained slowly. When I waited for him to go on he sighed. "And Sydney... she's gone to see Rose. I hope that's okay," he added quickly. "I didn't agree, but Sydney thinks she could use a friend right now."

I shrugged my shoulders, working to keep my expression completely neutral.

Adrian gave a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You can't fool me, cousin." He said, taking a seat opposite me. "That face says you're anything but okay."

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered. "I want to get really, really drunk."

He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly surprised.

"Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"No," I said, giving a humourless laugh. "I honestly have no idea what to think. I just know how I feel. And I don't feel good, Adrian. I don't feel good at all."

Wordlessly he reached over to the cart behind him and pulled out a bottle. In the next second my glass was filled to the rim and he was plonking a couple of ice cubes into each of our glasses.

"To love," he said sarcastically, raising his glass to clink mine. "Ain't it a bitch."

I made a noise in the back of my throat as I lifted the glass to my lips, tipping it all the way back in one smooth motion. I welcomed the burn; prayed for the numbness that would follow.

We repeated this ritual for a long time. Silently filling our glasses, clinking them together and knocking them back. When the familiar warmth began to caress my body I finally spoke.

"I just can't believe she did this to me," I whispered, staring at the bottom of my glass as if it held all the answers.

"I can't believe she did that either..." he said, studying his glass as he clinked the ice cubes loudly against one another. "Actually I can," he said after a long pause. "She did lie to me for our entire relationship about being over you." He gave a small laugh, "You see, Rose puts off the difficult conversations with people she cares about. I guess she didn't want to hurt me... but, quite ironically, she just ended up making everything so much more painful."

"I'm sorry," I said, looking away guiltily. No matter how much time passed, no matter how happy Adrian was, that guilt never left me. "I never should have done that to you."

"Old news cousin," he said with a wave of his hand. "As much as I hate to admit it, it worked out for the best. It's exactly what needed to happen. I needed to feel that pain to grow and become the man I needed to be to meet Sydney. Feeling that pain... taking that journey... it took me exactly where I needed to be."

"So the pain was a good thing?" I asked, my voice doubtful.

"I know it doesn't feel that way right now," he said, leaning forward to pour me another shot. "But that pain was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Do you think I should leave her?" I asked, looking up to meet his gaze. The words tasted strange in my mouth. They weren't words I had ever thought I would hear myself think, let alone utter.

Adrian regarded me coolly, giving nothing away in his calm watch. After a long moment, he finally spoke, leaning forward to force me to meet his gaze.

"I can't answer that for you, cousin. What I can tell you though, is how much Rose loves you. She made a mistake, but I know she loves you. She loves you so much that she turned the world upside down to save you. And even when you turned her away, she still didn't stop loving you. Even with a man as painfully handsome as me offering her the world, she held on to that love." I let out a little laugh, meeting his gaze as he gave me a sad smile. "Just as I know how much you love her." He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I can't tell you what to do, or how to feel, but I think you owe it to her to at least try to move past this."

"I don't know if I can trust her again," I said, feeling some of the weight dissipate as I finally got this off my chest. "It's the betrayal that hurts more than anything."

"I know," Adrian said, his voice a million miles away. "I know..."

* * *

**I hope that most of you are still enjoying the story! **

**This is all leading to something really important. I know it seems sad but this development is leading towards to the conclusion to this story I always wanted to tell and I think you will all be really happy with the ending. **

**Have a fantastic Christmas/holiday period.**

**Don't forget to review **


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello everyone – I've been stuck indoors with a cyclone in Fiji so it's your lucky week. I've done lots of writing. Here's the next chapter :)**

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**RPOV **

I stumbled back to our apartment blindly. I didn't know how long I spent on the floor of the church, but I was aching all over and my throat and eyes were dry from crying.

I staggered through the door, a small part of me hopeful that I would find my husband, curled up on the couch reading one of his westerns.

When I did open the door Dimitri was nowhere in sight and I let out another strangled cry when I entered the bedroom to find most of his stuff was gone.

I dropped to my knees, surveying his empty open drawers and the empty nightstand where a stack of westerns usually sat.

_What have I done?_

Another round of heavy sobs came out of me but I was surprised to find that my eyes were dry. I had no more tears left to cry.

I scrambled to my feet quickly at the sound of a knock at the door.

"Dimitri!" I choked, running towards the door and throwing it open.

My heart sank to the floor when I instead saw Sydney standing before me, looking at me with pity.

"He's staying with us for a while, Rose," she said, stepping forward to catch me as I fell into her arms.

"What have I done?" I choked, turning numb as she gently closed the door and led me back to the couch. I mumbled that phrase over and over again; babbling nonsensically while Sydney watched me with concern.

I closed my eyes rocking back and forth when I felt something cold press against my hand.

"Drink," Sydney ordered.

I opened my eyes to find a cold glass of water pressed against me. I shook my head silently, going back to closing my eyes and gently rocking as I repeated that phrase over and over.

_What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?_

"Rose," Sydney said, her voice stern. "You need to drink this. You're dehydrated from all the crying."

I opened my eyes again and slowly took the glass from her, gently lifting it to my lips and taking a tentative sip.

_What have I done?_

Sydney took a seat back down on the couch opposite me, surveying me carefully.

"Better?" she asked.

I didn't respond. Better? I didn't feel better at all. I felt empty. I wouldn't feel better until I'd fixed this. _What have I done?_

"Rose?" she said, more forcefully this time. "Talk to me."

"How is he?" I whispered, my voice was so hoarse. I took another sip of water, forcing myself to focus on the feeling of the cool liquid as it slid down my throat.

"He's..." Sydney paused, giving a big sigh. "I have no idea." She answered honestly. "I left before he got there. But from the sounds of his phone call to Adrian, he's not doing great."

"God," I moaned, closing my eyes and letting my head fall into my hands. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Why did you do it, Rose?" she asked, bluntly as ever. "You've upset a lot of people. Adrian is furious. I can't imagine how Dimitri and Lissa must feel."

I swallowed, taking another sip with shakey hands.

_What have I done?_

"I'm a coward," I whispered eventually. "I couldn't bear to tell them... so it did it like that." I raised my head, meeting her cool gaze head-on. "Do you think they'll ever forgive me?" I asked, both desperate and absolutely terrified to hear the answer.

"I don't know," she answered again honestly, and it felt like my heart was falling through my chest and smashing on the floor. "You have a lot of work to do," she said, gentler this time.

I let out a heavy sigh, running my hands over my face.

"For what it's worth. I really, truly am sorry. I just got so wrapped up in my own head, in how I _needed_ to do this. And I listened to that stupid voice in my head when it told me that telling them would jeopardise that. That I would never be able to go through with it."

She nodded, "I get it," she said finally. She suddenly looked down guiltily. "Was it really something I said?"

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Syd," I said, shaking my head firmly as her eyes flitted back up to meet mine. "It's my stupid plan. Just as it was my stupid idea to tell everyone the way that I did. It's got Rose logic written all over it. Don't blame yourself for even a second. You only pointed out the obvious, the Strigoi are a threat we have failed to adapt to, and time is running out."

"I know..." she said, her gaze far away before she continued, her voice low and urgent. "As Declan's mother, I support your decision. I believe that you did this for the right reasons and with noble intentions. I hate to admit it, but the plan could work. It could be the push we need to change our ways and gain the upper hand." She paused, meeting my gaze with an intensity that surprised me. "But as your friend... Rose, as your friend I am so scared for you."

"I'm scared too," I finally admitted, studying the ground beneath me as my confession hung heavy in the air between us.

_What have I done?_

* * *

I knocked hesitantly, taking a big breath and repeating my pep talk in my head. After Sydney and I had talked last night I had spent much of the night crying hysterically. I didn't think I could ever feel this horrible, this guilt-ridden and filled with fear. The very idea of what I'd done to Dimitri made me feel sick. So sick that after hearing about how Dimitri had reacted after running into Adrian I had fled to the sink, emptying the contents of my stomach into the cold, hard metal. But after hours of support, Sydney had given me exactly what I needed. She told me to suck it up, own my mistakes and get the hell onto fixing them.

So that's what I was doing.

The door swung open and there my best friend stood, looking tired and worn as another hot stab of guilt sliced through my chest

"Hey," I said, awkwardly hanging back by the door.

"Hey," she replied quietly, her gaze never quite meeting mine.

"Can we talk?" I asked, trying desperately to meet her eyes. "Please."

"Sure," she said with a small smile and a shrug, stepping out of the doorway to let me in.

"Thanks," I mumbled, walking over to the couch and sitting awkwardly.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked and I shook my head, giving her a closed-lipped smile.

_God, this is so awkward. _I thought to myself as she nodded and took a seat opposite me._ She's being so... formal. _

"How are you feeling?" I asked her, taking in her red-ringed eyes that I'm sure matched my own.

"I've been better," she whispered, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. "You?"

"I've been better," I whispered back.

After a long moment of heavy silence, I cleared my throat, trying to dislodge the lump there. "I'm so sorry," I managed to choke out eventually. "I shouldn't have sprung that on you all. It was wrong of me. I just... I was scared and I didn't know what else to do."

She nodded, her head bobbing up and down for a few beats too long.

"I'm your best friend, Rose," she said eventually, her eyes brimming with tears. "You could have told me. I may not have liked it, but you could have told me." Her eyes flitted away for a moment before she asked, "How is Dimitri?"

I felt all the blood rush from my face at even the mention of his name.

_I don't know, Rose. _He'd said it so coldly, his face trained into that well-practised expressionless mask. My heart ached at the pain I knew he was concealing behind it. At the pain _I _had caused.

"He... he –" a sob broke out my chest and Lissa leaned forward, placing a tissue in my hand.

"You should have told him," she said sadly, as I sniffled my thanks into the tissue. "You're my best friend and I know you didn't do it maliciously, but I can't pretend that was okay, Rose. I didn't deserve to find out like that. And Dimitri certainly didn't."

"I k-know," I stuttered, my head dropping into my hands. "God, what is wrong with me? I'm trying to do what's right, Liss, I swear it. But how can this be right when I'm hurting the people that I love? I never wanted to hurt any of you."

"I know you didn't," she replied softly.

"I feel like there's been a hole _ripped_ through my chest," I cried, staring down at my feet bleakly. "The guilt, it's crippling. You should have seen the look on his face, Lissa. He... he hates me."

"Give him some time, Rose," she said gently, watching me with sad eyes.

Lissa didn't argue with that statement which only made me cry harder. _He hates me. _I thought to myself as a lead ball settled itself inside my stomach, hot and heavy. _He hates me. I've done it; I've ruined the best thing to ever happen to me. _Heavy, ugly sobs filled the silence in the room.

When I finally worked myself out of my state I looked up to see Lissa was watching me, tears streaming down her face.

"Liss?" I whispered hoarsely. I immediately got up and dropped down onto the couch next to her. "I'm so sorry," I cried, putting my arm around her and dropping my head into her shoulder. "Please forgive me. I have to know you forgive me. I love you so much, I never should have told you like that."

"Why did you keep this from me, Rose? You could have talked to me. Instead, you put me in this awful position with no warning at all." There was a touch of anger in her tone, laced in with the sorrow.

"I have no good excuse," I said, squaring my shoulders. _Own your mistakes and get the hell onto fixing them_. "I was a coward and I will be working to make this up to you all for the rest of my life. But I can promise you one thing, Liss. From this point forward, I swear to always be honest with you. I won't keep things from you because I think they're hard to talk about, or because I want to protect you. I'll always be straight with you and I will never put you in this kind of position again. As for _why_ I did this, please try to understand that I need to do this... I need to do _something_. I really do want to change our world for the better. I want to save us and our children from a future too terrifying to imagine."

There was a long moment of silence and I sat, holding my breath as I awaited her response to my apology. I had meant every word, even if she forgave me now, I would work to continue to earn that forgiveness. I wouldn't be repeating my mistakes.

"I understand," she said eventually and I wept in relief when she placed her arms around me. "You've given up so much for this world already, Rose. You've given up so much for _me_. I owe it to you to understand. I may not like it, but I understand."

We sat like that for a long time, tears streaming down our faces as we hugged. Could this be one of the last times? I hugged her body harder against mine at the thought and felt a sob break out from her chest as the realisation hit her too.

"Can I ask you for something?" She said eventually, pulling back from my embrace and turning her body to face mine.

"Anything," I replied sincerely. "Anything you need Liss, it's yours."

She scoffed, "You've already given me everything, Rose. But... I would like to ask one more thing of you. If you're really going to do this... can you please wait until after my wedding? I know it sounds silly and shallow," she continued quickly, "but I can't bear the thought... if anything were to happen." She barely made it through that sentence and I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as my chest constricted. _What if something happened to me and Dimitri never forgave me? _ I pushed the thought from my mind, focusing on Lissa as she continued. "I just, I really need my best friend at my wedding," Lissa continued. "You're my family. The only family I have left. I don't want any part in a day where you're not there."

I nodded, the knot in my chest lessening some at her acceptance of my apology.

"Of course," I promised, holding her hands tightly in mine. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

We had numerous council meetings over the coming days where my safety was discussed and the date was set; I was to leave Court straight after the Royal wedding. The back-story for leaving Court was also decided - my mother was going to fake a bad injury in the field (and Vlad, has she been _pissed_ when she had first heard my plan). We would leak this information through the Alchemists and hope it trickled down to the Strigoi through a source they had previously identified as dirty and kept open for situations such as this. We would leak where she was being treated and that I was likely to rush to her side, unprotected.

I hadn't seen Dimitri since our talk in the church. I was trying to give him space like he had asked me for. But there was a gnawing feeling inside of me that warned that space was the exact opposite of what we needed right now. What if he never forgave me? What if every day apart only served to solidify his disgust and distrust towards me? The fear was almost crippling and I didn't know how much longer I could take of the hopeless, pitiful, waiting.

Every day as I entered the meetings my gaze would flit pathetically around the room, praying to see my husband towering over the crowd, still angry, but quietly watching and showing that no matter how badly I had messed up, he would always love me.

But he never showed.

* * *

**Please don't forget to review if you are reading this story and let me know what you like/dislike and what you would like to see happen next! So many of your comments align with my plan for the story so it's nice to see I'm on the right track!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello everyone! I am fine – just a little stranded at the moment, thanks for the concern! **

**Everyone is still SO mad at Rose haha. I agree, it was very cowardly and selfish but I am trying to show that she is acknowledging her faults and trying to be better. **

**Rose and Dimitri had a lot of problems in their relationship because of Dimitri's habit of blaming and distancing himself. But together they worked on it. Of course Rose has her faults too. I'm not justifying her behaviour but I've tried to stick to what makes sense with her character. She is very impulsive and acts before she consults with people. This is a fault I've always seen in her character and I thought it important to address it and make her realise that it's time to grow up and accept that her actions, no matter how noble the intentions, have consequences. I also think its an important realisation for her that she may need to re-examine her priorities. **

**Given how deeply ingrained these traits are in Rose (and how stubborn she is), I think it would take something major to make her realise she needs to change.**

**People make mistakes, sometimes horrible ones. But if they take responsibility and are willing to change then there is always a chance of fixing things. **

**I hope you are all enjoying still :)**

* * *

**DPOV**

I lay on the couch, my eyes staring unseeingly at the ceiling as the voices whispered loudly around me.

"We have to be quiet, Dec. If you're super, super quiet Daddy will get you a toy."

"_Super _quiet, Dec," Sydney whispered before whisper-exclaiming, "Good boy!"

I rolled my eyes. Declan hadn't made a peep all morning, but I'd heard nothing but constant whispers from Adrian and Sydney, bribing his silence.

There was the sound of the front door clicking shut as Adrian and Sydney left with Declan in toe, carefully closing the door behind them.

I sighed in relief, thankful to be alone with my thoughts. As much as I loved Adrian and I was appreciative of him letting me stay, I simply didn't want to talk about it anymore. I just wanted to make myself busy and forget about this whole nightmare.

Which wasn't easy to do when his wife had insisted on supporting Rose through this. She had gotten in very late last night. I supposed things hadn't gone well with Rose.

I halted my thoughts there before they could progress. I didn't want to think of her right now. I had just managed to fan out some of my anger via an angry drunken rant to Adrian. I shuddered at the memory. I had sounded like my father.

_Never again, _I thought to myself, promising that I would channel this energy in the most productive way I knew how.

Work.

With that I sat up, shedding my feelings of self-pity and donning my workout gear. I resolved to have a quick workout before heading down to Guardian Headquarters and offering my time for any services not relating to Christian or Lissa. They would be occupied with council meetings with _her_ and that was the last thing I needed.

I was in the gym, giving a boxing bag a beating it probably didn't deserve when my phone rang.

"Hello?" I said, panting into the speaker.

"Dimka!" Mama exclaimed and I shifted to the floor, trying to catch my breath whilst kicking myself for not checking the caller ID.

"Hi, mama," I said, sucking a breath in through my nose and slowly releasing it.

"It's been so long," she scolded softly and I sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said, working to keep the irritation out of my voice. _It's not her you're mad at_. "I've been very busy."

There was a short pause at the other end of the line and my ears prickled. Mama was never silent.

"Babushka mentioned I should call you..." she finally admitted sheepishly. "She said something about darkness being on your horizon."

I sighed again.

"Yes," I finally replied after a long moment of tense silence. "But nothing that I particularly want to talk about."

"You never want to talk, Dimka. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't," she lightly scolded and I suppressed a groan.

Why did I have to be born into a family that insisted _so _heavily on talking about their feelings? I didn't want to confront my feelings about Rose; I wanted to bury myself into work. It was just easier that way.

"Perhaps later, mama," I said quickly, my tone dismissive. "I really must get back to my workout. I have a lot of shifts in the coming days," I lied. Well, I _would _have a lot of shifts after I went to Guardian Headquarters, so it was only a half-lie.

There was the muffled sound of the phone changing hands quickly and mama's muted protests.

"Dimka," Babushka's voice came through the speaker, her tone harsh. "I know you are hurting, but you must listen to your wife."

"Excuse me?" I said incredulously.

She made a clucking sound with her tongue at my tone.

"Listen to me, boy. Sometimes the darkest things in our lives put us directly on the path to the light. Someday, everything will make sense."

"I don't care about that right now, babushka," I said through gritted teeth. "Rose betrayed me. I won't forget that for some vague future promise of 'light'."

"I'm not saying you have to forgive her now, boy. Listen to me." Her tone was harsh and it silenced me. I sat on the phone, waiting expectantly for her to continue. If babushka wanted to talk, then there really was no sense in trying to stop her.

"Trust that everything happens for a reason, Dimka," she continued after a long pause. "Even when we are not wise enough to see it, the stars are in motion... through all the chaos the universe is taking you exactly where you need to be. You're just too close to the puzzle to see the picture."

I didn't respond. I stared at the punching bag angrily. _Great._ Now I needed to start my workout all over again.

"Don't be so hard on her, Dimka," she continued when I didn't respond. "What she did was wrong, but she felt it was right because it _is _right."

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't sass me, boy!" she exclaimed and I jumped back slightly, swearing under my breath. "And don't swear," she barked. "You will move past this. I just wanted to let you know that light is coming. I have seen it."

I sighed, muttering my thanks to babushka before I hung up my phone and leapt up, going at the boxing bag with everything I had.

* * *

An hour later, I was exhausted and in the office space at Headquarters, waiting for a meeting with Hans. I had argued it wasn't necessary. Just sign me up for a shift, any shift. I wasn't picky. But apparently Hans had insisted on seeing me before I was approved for anything.

"Belikov," he called from his open door.

I stood, schooling my expression as I entered the room.

"You requested to see me?" I asked, pulling out a chair opposite his desk.

"You want to work?" he asked me and I nodded, keeping my expression carefully neutral.

He sighed, "You understand my concerns about that, I'm sure."

"I really don't, sir," I replied cautiously. "I'm one of the best guardians you have. Surely some court work isn't beneath my ability."

"I'm not worried about your ability, Belikov," he chastised. "That's never been in question. What I am worried about is your headspace. Can I trust you to keep your private life separate?"

I nodded, working to keep my tone steady. "It's never been an issue before, sir. And it never will be again. You have my word."

He nodded, tenting his fingers as he studied me. "I understand, Belikov, really I do. And I've always supported you as a guardian. To lose you, as so many of the council have lobbied for, would have been a great loss. But your behaviour in that meeting was unacceptable. Already I've had council members breathing down my neck about Dhampir-Dhampir relationships. Add that to this drama about offensive magic Hathaway's caused and I'm neck-deep in council drama. I don't need any more trouble."

I nodded, repeating myself. "You have my word, Hans. No more trouble."

"Alright then," he finally said after a long moment of silence.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Alright then," I echoed, giving him a brief nod before I turned to leave his office.

Time to get to work.

And that's what I did. For days I threw myself into my job, working 18-hour shifts anywhere they needed an extra hand. And it really did make things easier. I focused on the task at hand, never allowing my mind to wander, not even for a second.

* * *

I started at the sound of a knock on the door. I'd just gotten back from another long and silent shift and was finally drifting off to sleep. I sat up in annoyance, well aware that my mood had been foul for days. The other guardians were avoiding me, not that I blamed them. I wasn't exactly a joy to talk to these days. But even in my self-imposed exile, I noticed the shift in the energy of the guardians as they worked around me. They were excited about the prospects Roses' plan would bring. The very idea of it made me feel sick, and I was thankful none of them were stupid enough to bring it up in front of me.

I opened the door to find Christian standing there, shifting on his feet uncomfortably.

"Hey man," he said, giving a small wave.

"Hey," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "Adrian's asleep."

"Actually, I came to see you. Sorry about the hour," he apologised. "You've been kind of a hard man to catch."

I nodded, stepping to the side to let him in.

He sat across from me, nodding towards the couch I sat on with the blankets and pillows neatly arranged.

"You sleeping alright?" he asked, looking concerned. "You could have stayed with us you know. We have a room for you."

I shook my head, "I know. I just wanted to be as far removed from this... situation as possible."

Christian nodded; his gaze far away as he studied the pictures Adrian and Sydney had lining the walls.

"I understand," he said eventually.

"You wanted to talk to me?" I asked after a long moment of silence.

"Yeah," Christian cleared his throat, his gaze turning back to me. "I'm sorry I haven't seen you yet. I kept trying to pop by, but you were never in."

"I've been working," I supplied and Christian nodded again.

"Right," he said. "Makes sense." He sighed, "Listen, the wedding's very close. I just wanted to check that you're okay, that you're still okay being my best man... considering who the maid of honour is."

"Of course," I said. "I made that commitment, I'm not going to back out of it. I'm happy for you and Lissa, I truly am."

"Have you spoken to her yet?"

I knew he wasn't talking about Lissa.

I shook my head, getting up to grab a glass of water.

"Drink?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Yeah," Christian said and I quickly filled two glasses, schooling my expression before I turned back to him.

"Don't worry," I said wryly as I placed the glass in front of him. "I'm not going to go on some anti-marriage tirade during speeches."

"I'm not worried about that," he said, his tone sombre. "I'm worried about you, and how you're handling this. Have you given any thought to this situation at all? Or have you just buried yourself in work?"

I glared at him, "How I handle this is none of your concern."

He raised his hands in surrender. "I'm not trying to butt my head in. I just... I'm just worried about you. Are you going to speak to her before she goes?"

"I don't know," I answered curtly.

_Why would no one leave me the hell alone?_

"I'm worried if you don't see her... you could end up regretting it forever."

The unspoken _if Rose dies_ hung heavily in the air between us. I took a deep breath, working to keep my breathing and my heartbeat steady.

"I honestly haven't thought about it," I said when I'd finally gotten my breathing back under control.

"Don't you think you should?" he asked gently.

"I don't want to think about it, Christian," I snapped. I took another deep breath when I saw his eyebrows raise in surprise at my tone. "Sorry," I muttered.

"I understand," he said eventually. "I don't mean to intrude. I'm sorry. Just with the wedding so close and all, I thought I should check on you and see how you're doing. I know this isn't an easy time for you. I don't want you to feel like our happiness is being shoved down your throat."

I sighed, feeling guilty for my flare-up. "No, I'm sorry," I apologised. "I'm just a little on edge, but I know you're just trying to help." I met his gaze, trying to convey to him how much I truly meant this sentence. "I'm happy for you. You and Lissa are a great couple and you deserve to have an amazing day. Don't worry about me."

"Yeah, she's fantastic," he said, taking a long sip of water. "She's great, and I love her. But we've certainly had our share of struggles too. We had a lot to overcome after the whole situation with Avery, I mean, she cheated on me and that destroyed a lot of trust." I shifted back on the couch, my eyes lifting to the ceiling. _I know where this is going_. "I guess at some point I had to decide whether I was ready to accept that and try to move on," he continued. "Everyone makes mistakes. I mean, I'm certainly not perfect, so I can't expect her to be."

I worked on controlling my anger, taking a deep breath. _He's just trying to help. _"It's not just one mistake though, is it?" I said coolly. "This is a pattern. I always put it down to age and maturity, but here we are, a year into marriage and she's done something like this. It's made me question everything."

"I know,' he said, giving a big sigh. "It was definitely wrong. If I were you, I would be pissed. I don't even know what I'd do. I guess..." he trailed off, his eyes moving back to the pictures lining the wall. "I guess at some point you have to ask yourself if you can accept this part of her... if you can accept the bad parts of her as well as the good. And if you're ready to work with her to help her change for the better. I know she spent a lot of time and energy helping you to do that, working with you to overcome your demons."

I thought about that for a long moment. Rose had spent years of her life listening to me and supporting me through therapy as I worked on my guilt. Even when I pushed her away, she never gave up.

But could I move past this?

I didn't know.

"I also wanted to let you know," he continued hesitantly when I didn't reply, "that the date is set. It's happening the day after the wedding. No matter what you decide, I just thought I should let you know."

My face remained in its practised impassive mask but inside my heart stopped.

_Two days._

Just two more days until she was gone. Would she ever come back?

My stomach flipped in a mix of fear and guilt and anger.

"Thank you for letting me know," I said eventually, my tone even.

He studied me for a long moment, obviously surprised by my reaction.

"Anyway man," he said after a long moment. "I'll leave you time to think. If you ever need to chat, please come talk to me. Anytime."

I nodded my thanks, standing to let him out and closing the door behind him.

I sat back down on the couch with a sigh, pulling my wedding ring off and studying it closely. I thought back to all of the moments leading up to our relationship, all the seemingly impossible barriers to our love, as I twisted the ring between my fingers. I thought about our wedding day, about the vows I made to her and the ones she made to me. The ones she had so cruelly broken. I thought about that horrible, dark time in my life. The time where the guilt was so crushing that I spent almost every night staring at my razor blade, wondering if I should just end it all. The only thing that had stopped me was the knowledge that I _deserved _the pain; I deserved to suffer for what I did. I didn't get to die and take the easy way out; no matter how badly it hurt, I didn't get to do that. And I thought about Rose, I thought about the look on her face when I told her that I had no room in my heart to love her anymore. I thought about the feeling in my stomach as I watched her face crumple before me. I thought about her forgiving me. Even though she'd risked her life to save me and I'd turned my back on her, she never blamed me. Even after everything, she took my hand and led me out from that darkness, one patient step at a time. Lastly, I thought about that moment, that horrifying, terrifying moment when I realised she planned to leave me. That she had hidden it from me and told me in the most cowardly way imaginable. I thought of the look in her eyes as she slowly shook her head, silently telling me that no matter how much I begged she wouldn't change her mind. I thought about the way I'd felt as my terror shifted into betrayal, and then into anger.

I thought about the possibility of Rose dying. In less than two days she would be out of the wards, in the hands of the Strigoi. I shut my eyes tightly against the onslaught of images that invaded my mind, desperate to erase them.

I held the ring in my hand taking a deep breath as I squeezed it tightly.

I knew what I had to do.

* * *

**What do you think Dimitri's plan is? There is a kind of resolution to this all coming in the next chapter and I hope you will all be happy with it.**

**Don't forget to review :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry for the wait! I've been so busy and also sick with glandular fever :(**

**Thank you to the people who have left comments reminding me that they are continuing to enjoy this story (there are too many of you to name, sorry! But I truly appreciate each and every one and they always make me smile and inspire me to keep writing). Sorry if you are frustrated with the route I've taken – but I've come to the realisation that I cannot please everyone (I mean, I could write a conflict-free story, but it would be very boring!). **

**Regardless, I am glad that I am making people feel something with my writing and, as always, I hope that you enjoy this chapter :)**

**In light of the requests of RoseforDimitri and Guest – I have added in a bit more of Abe and Janine's reactions.**

* * *

**RPOV**

"Lissa..." I choked out, my hand falling to rest over my chest. "I don't have words."

She gave me a glowing smile, spinning in a slow twirl in her gorgeous, flowing dress. It hung delicately from her slender frame as she finished her twirl. She looked every bit the regal queen she was, one who would go down in history for her contribution to our world.

"We made a promise," she reminded me gently as my eyes started to well up. "No more tears."

I gave a small smile, shoving back the lump in my throat.

"No more tears," I agreed, returning her smile.

Our last night together had been filled with tears and laughs, but when I had tried to gift her my Nazar, Lissa had become hysterical. After talking her down and insisting that I wanted her to have a piece of me, just in case, I made her promise me that there would be no tears for me on her wedding day.

There was a knock at the door and I clapped, pushing back further my sudden onslaught of emotion.

"That must be your bridesmaids!" I called as I rushed to the door to find Sydney, Jill and Mia.

I laughed as their squeals turned into a collective gasp at the sight of Lissa.

"You look beautiful!" Jill exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace her sister.

I was so pleased that Lissa and Jill had gotten over the awkwardness and become closer over the years. It meant so much to me that, despite everything she had been through, Lissa had a family again.

The girls chatted excitedly and Mia pulled out a bottle of champagne and poured it into flutes. I sat back, watching them exchange excited stories and compliments and felt a smile spread across my face.

There was so much love in this room.

After our very strict limit of one glass of champagne each, the wedding planner was ushering us out of the suite and into the limo. After a short ride, we arrived at the church.

"You ready?" I asked Lissa, squeezing her hand in mine.

"As I'll ever be," she said with a nervous laugh.

I gave her a small smile and helped her out of the limo before grabbing my bouquet from the wedding planner. She looked slightly dishevelled from the stress of it all and I held back a laugh. Lissa, as I had always predicted, had been a demanding bride. She had every expectation that this day would go off without a single problem.

"Helen!" Lissa shrieked suddenly. "The clip in my veil is loose again!"

She gave me a panicked look and I gave her an apologetic smile as she scuttled off towards Lissa. I chuckled under my breath and joined my place in the queue behind the other bridesmaids before turning to watch the magic unfold.

Lissa stood, looking stunningly regal, as a team of stylists worked carefully around her, painstakingly arranging her dress and repining her veil carefully into her delicate updo.

"Helen!" Lissa suddenly shrieked again, causing her to flinch ever so slightly. "Is Christian at the alter yet?" she asked. Her voice rose about ten octaves into a shrill call of the absolutely panicked when Helen didn't reply straight away. "He hasn't stood me up has he?" she asked, fanning her face quickly.

"Um," she threw the bridesmaids a panicked look. "I believe he's there."

"You _believe _he's there?" Lissa asked incredulously and I watched with amusement as Helen shrunk back. I always found it amusing that people found Lissa so intimidating when in reality she wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Adrian texted," Sydney jumped in, saving the poor woman from a potentially career-ending blowout. "Christian's at the alter waiting."

Lissa let out an audible sigh of relief. "So everything's on track?" she asked.

"Yes, your majesty," Helen promised, shooting Sydney a grateful look. "Everything's going without a hitch."

I waited patiently as the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle before me. As the maid of honour, I would be the last out before Lissa.

My heart leapt at the knowledge that Dimitri would be standing at the other end of the aisle. I couldn't wait to see him again, but I was also incredibly nervous what his reaction would be. After so many days of not even seeing my husband, I had no idea what he was thinking.

What if he never forgave me?

That reality was entirely possible and I felt the waves of dread and anxiety come crashing over me as my breathing kicked up a notch. What would I do if he never forgave me?

I was pulled out of my hopeless spiral when Helen suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Rose!" she hissed, "You're going to miss your cue."

I nodded, pulling myself out of my Dimitri induced panic as I purposefully rounded the corner, timing myself carefully to the music as Helen had ruthlessly drilled into us during rehearsals.

As I walked down the aisle to the melody of the piano march my eyes went straight to Dimitri. He stood there, watching me closely with his guardian mask firmly in place. It felt like it had been years since I'd seen him last and I resisted the urge to run up to him and hold him close; to kiss him and clutch his body close to mine.

I wasn't afraid to die, I realised with shocking clarity.

But I was terrified of dying before I ever had a chance to make things right with Dimitri. I was terrified of the realisation that no matter how nobly I might die and no matter how many lives I might save... I was a coward for the way I treated him.

I stumbled slightly as this realisation hit me, as the fear that Dimitri and I may never have the chance to make things right vibrated through my body. I watched as Dimitri stepped forward out of instinct, reaching for my arm. I longed for the contact, but I had already righted myself and he stepped back, with nothing more than a brief nod in my direction.

As I took my place alongside Mia, Sydney and Jill, I made a vow to myself that I would talk to him before I left. Whether he wanted to or not, he would hear how much I loved him. I couldn't leave without him knowing that.

I tore my gaze away from my husband as the familiar chords of the wedding march chimed through the church. There was the collective shuffle as everyone stood, followed by a nearly audible gasp as Lissa came into view.

She was a vision.

I looked over to find Christian grinning so widely I was worried his face might split in half, his eyes watering as he stared at his bride. My smile widened as my heart filled with happiness. I was overcome with joy and relief at the realisation that, no matter what happened to me, Lissa would be okay.

She was so loved.

As Lissa and Christian made their vows to one another, I couldn't stop my gaze from flitting back to Dimitri. I was surprised to find him watching me with shining eyes. As my gaze met his, I expected him to look away, to train his face back into that impenetrable mask. But he didn't. He held my gaze as Christian and Lissa made their promises to one another. As I looked into the familiar dark eyes of my husband, a single tear slipped out.

I quickly brushed it away before turning my attention back to Lissa and Christian.

I schooled my expression to one of joy as they were announced husband and wife and kissed each other tenderly. I applauded, cheering them on as the crowd erupted around us.

I focused on my best friend, rushing forward to congratulate them both.

"Congratulations, Sparky," I grinned, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Thanks, Rose," he said, his smile diminishing somewhat. "Are you ok–"

"Liss looks stunning, doesn't she?" I asked, cutting him off. The last thing I wanted was either one of them worrying about me on their day.

He smiled, looking at me with a strange expression before his eyes glanced over to his new wife.

"Yeah," he said, a slow grin once again overcoming his features. "Yeah, she does."

What followed was a flurry of joy and excitement as we headed to the back of the church to sign the marriage certificates. Both Dimitri and myself were witnesses, but I worked hard to keep my focus on Christian and Lissa. Every so often, our gazes would meet. In those brief, electric moments a thousand messages seemed to dart between us, desperate to make their way out before our eyes were forced back to our friends.

* * *

I stood, watching Dimitri as he sat at a table across the dance floor. Adrian was talking to him animatedly, but he seemed distracted. His eyes would glance around the room every so often.

_Is he looking for me?_

A tall, dark figure stepped into my line of vision and for a moment I was completely irrationally hopeful that it was Dimitri. As if he was able to materialise in front of me from his spot on the opposite side of the floor.

"You okay, kid?" Baba asked me as I pulled my gaze away from Dimitri to meet his familiar dark eyes.

I nodded my head, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Dance with your old man?" he asked, offering his hand out towards me.

"Do you think you can keep up?" I asked, in a weak attempt at a joke that ended up completely falling flat.

He gave a small smile, trying to go with my attempt at lightening the mood, but his heart wasn't in it.

I placed my hand in his as he led me to the centre of the floor and began moving us around in awkward circles.

"Have you spoken to your mother again?" he asked me, pulling me into an uncoordinated attempt at a twirl.

"I had another chat with her on the phone yesterday," I reassured him. "There was a lot less yelling than the first time."

He let out a humourless chuckle.

"She just loves you," he reassured me. "We both do. We just want you to be safe."

"I know," I said, squeezing his hand. "I promise I'll be safe. But this is something that I _have_ to do, baba. I hate hurting the people I love, but it's just so clear to me. This is the way to save our future."

He gave a small smile, squeezing my hand in return. There was a minute of silence as the music floated around us. I caught a glimpse of Dimitri as we spun on the dance floor. Adrian was still talking to him, but his eyes were on me, his dark gaze watching me intently with an unreadable expression.

I wanted so badly to talk to him. To hold him and promise everything would be alright. I'd had enough space. I couldn't stand another second of it.

"Well kid, we never stood a chance did we?" Baba asked, pulling me back to the present. I looked at him quizzically before he continued on. "You've inherited your mother's skills and bravery and my devil-may-care attitude and recklessness." He shook his head, his eyes far off into the distance. Both of us had given up the pretence of dancing as we stood in the centre of the dance floor.

"I'm sorry, baba," I whispered, desperate for him to say something.

He had been furious, like my mom, when the news broke. I'd received long lectures from them both. As much as they both tried to hide behind fury, I could tell that they were both just scared.

I was too.

"There's nothing to apologise for, kid," he said eventually, moving his gaze back to mine. "You're exactly the kind of daughter I dreamed of having. And while I wish you wouldn't be so ready to risk your life... I've never been prouder, Rose."

The relief washed through me instantaneously. I hadn't realised just how much I needed to hear those words.

I pulled him into a hug, burying my face in his shoulder to hide the tears.

"And you can rest assured," he continued, squeezing me tightly against him, "that I've offered a lot of talented people a big salary increase to be available to me this week. I promise I will have every single guardian at my disposal posted as close to you as possible and ready to intervene at the first sign of danger. Okay?"

I laughed, pulling back. "Baba, Hans already has men doing that. Have you cleared it with him?"

He looked at me with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "He may have called it a blatant waste of guardian resources and 'completely unnecessary'." He raised our hands up to make inverted commas and gave me a wolfish grin. "I may or may not be planning to ignore him."

I smiled, shaking my head at him incredulously.

"You're insane, Old Man."

"Nah, kid," he said, all hint of humour disappearing from his face. "I just love you."

I nodded, leaning in to gently kiss his cheek.

"I love you," I whispered, smiling at him gently. "I promise, I'll be home soon. I've got far too much hell to raise to be going anywhere anytime soon."

He grinned, pulling me close for one last embrace.

* * *

I sat, staring at my martini glass gloomily. I'd been so close to Dimitri throughout the entire dinner. We had both chatted in the group conversation, and Dimitri's eyes continued to meet mine. I was determined to pull him to the side right after we'd finished, but he had conveniently disappeared right before dessert.

Jill and Sydney chatted excitedly around me and I tried my best to try to join in on the conversation; to smile and laugh and look engaged at the right times.

Even I knew my attempts were woeful.

I took another long drink from my glass, promising that that would be the end of my drinking for tonight. The last thing I needed tomorrow was a hangover.

"Incoming," Sydney suddenly whispered and I looked up, confused. She indicated with her eyes behind me and I turned quickly. My heart leapt in my chest at the sight of my husband, walking purposely towards me.

He came to a stop before me and we froze, locked in each other's gazes for a long moment.

"Can we talk?" He asked eventually and my heart leapt into my throat.

_He wants to talk._

Was this bad? Was he going to tell me he could never forgive me?

I wasn't sure if I was ready to find out.

_Don't be a coward, Rose_. I scolded myself.

"Of course," I said, quickly getting to my feet to follow him as he gestured with his head towards the courtyard.

I stumbled after him, my legs turning to a strange consistency beneath me as every possible different outcome ran through my head.

I made it through the threshold as Dimitri took a seat on a bench overlooking the courtyard. Without taking his gaze off the view in front of him, he patted the seat next to him.

I sat quickly, both eager to and absolutely dreading hearing him speak.

"I'm so sorry, Dimitri," I started when he remained silent for a long, excruciating moment. "If nothing else, you have to know how much I love you and how sorry I am."

He nodded, his gaze still firmly fixed on the courtyard in front of us.

"I've had a lot of time to myself lately," he started. I held my breath, the world coming to a halt around me. "I sat there, remembering my vows to you. How I vowed to hold on to my love for you and never forget how much we've overcome together." I let out a shaky sigh of relief before he continued. "But I also remembered your vows to me. You promised to be my partner. You promised to respect my wishes and consider my feelings. You broke that vow, Rose."

My heart squeezed tightly and the hole in my chest seemed to rip apart at the seams.

I squared my shoulders, pushing back the tears and focusing on the man in front of me. _Own your mistakes and get the hell onto fixing them_.

"I know I betrayed you," I said. Despite my resolve, my voice was shaking slightly. I cleared my throat. "I'm so sorry that I told you like that, Dimitri. I really am. I won't apologise for my plan, because I know in my heart that it's right. But I swear if you..." I paused, taking a shaky breath as I forced myself to get through the next sentence. "If you can find it in you to forgive me... to let me try to make this up to you, I will spend the rest of my life making it right. I should never have broken it to you like that. You didn't deserve it. I was a coward, and I'm so sorry."

Dimitri was silent for a long moment. The only sound I could hear was the loud thumping of my heartbeat in my ears. I wanted so badly to reach out, to hold his hand and pull him close, but I didn't want to rush him.

"I understand why you feel you have to do this..." he said eventually, "I really do. As much as I despise the idea, it really could work. I'll never agree with the way you went about it, but I know in your heart you didn't do it to hurt me. I know you're sorry," I nodded eagerly, watching carefully for his next words. I let out a loud sob as he added, "I love you, Roza."

Tears of relief started flowing down my cheeks as he turned to face me and his hand found mine.

"But you need to promise me that something like this will never happen again." He said as we sat, hand in hand.

"I promise, Dimitri," I said, gripping his hand tightly in mine as if it were my lifeline. "I swear it."

"Okay, Rose," he said, nodding as he studied me for a long moment. I couldn't place his expression. He looked almost hesitant. As if he were really unsure what to say next.

"Is there something else?" I asked tentatively, pulling our joint hands up to brush the crease that had formed between his brows.

"If you do this..." he sighed, pulling both of my hands into his and turning to face me completely. "If you go through with this and you want us to have any shot on the other side, you also need to promise me something else..."

"Anything, Dimitri," I promised, squeezing his hands tightly. "Ask and it's yours."

He took a deep breath.

"I need you to leave Lissa."

I sat, unable to form words for what felt like an eternity. Of all the things Dimitri could have asked me for, this was not an option I had considered.

"W-what?" I stammered eventually, staring at him expectantly for an explanation.

"I'm your husband," he said slowly, his dark eyes piercing mine, "and I'm asking you to pick me."

"I have picked you, Dimitri," I insisted. Could he not see how important he was to me? I'd left Lissa once already in my, in hindsight admittedly borderline suicidal, determination to save his soul. I'd risked everything. "You're the love of my life. You're my husband."

"But Lissa will always come first," he said back gently, he wasn't angry, but there was an urgency to him. "I can't keep living like this," he continued, "I can't be worried to death of losing you every single day. Whether it was Victor Dashkov, or Spirit bleeding into you, or her status as the last Dragomir or the Queen - there's always something. I'm not saying it's her fault, but her friendship has put you in constant danger. I'm asking you to put yourself first for once... To put me and our relationship first."

There was a long moment of heavy silence as his words sunk in.

"Are you asking me to run away with you?" I asked finally.

He shook his head. "We don't have to run away, Rose. We can become Court guardians or school guardians. Hell, we could even go back to St Vladimir's and teach. Just... please," he pleaded, his eyes piercing mine. "I can't take this anymore."

I stared at him for a long moment. I promised him anything... but could I give him this?

"Dimitri..." I said gently, "she's my best friend... my family."

He gave a sad smile, one that almost broke my heart in two.

"And I'm your husband," he reminded me. "We're family too. We're supposed to be partners. I've spent years sacrificing my feelings because I know how important this is to you..." he sighed, reaching up our joint hands to brush my cheek, "but I'm tired. I'm tired of being afraid of losing you. If you're really going to do this, then there needs to be some end in sight for me. You need to promise me that things are going to change."

I took a deep breath as Dimitri leant forward, resting his forehead against mine.

"I love you," he whispered and I broke, throwing my arms around his neck and burying my face into his chest as heavy sobs ripped through me.

Eventually, I pulled back, placing my hands on either side of his face as I gazed deeply into his eyes.

"I promise," I whispered. "When the mission is done, I'll hand in my resignation."

He nodded, his face overcome with joy for a brief moment before it suddenly crumpled.

"Hey," I whispered, cradling his face gently. "Don't be sad... please. I can't bear for you to be sad."

I stood, holding my hand out to him. He stared at me questioningly and I smiled.

"Dance with me, comrade?" I asked.

We were outside, but with the door open we could hear the music from the dance floor.

He nodded, pushing himself to his feet as he pulled me close, both arms encircling my waist. We stood like that for a long moment; swaying slowly to the beat as I rested my head against his chest and let the tears flow freely.

The opening chords of a new song started and I squeezed myself tighter against him as the lyrics floated around us.

_I swear to God when I come home_

_I'm gonna hold you so close_

_I swear to God when I come home_

_I'll never let go_

_Like a river, I flow _

_To the ocean, I know_

_You pull me close, guiding me home..._

I felt Dimitri stiffen and pull me closer as the lyrics continued around us.

"Don't die, Rose," he whispered into my hair, his voice breaking. "Please... just... come home."

I nodded, my face rubbing up and down against his jacket and shirt. I'd probably ruined them both with my makeup and running mascara.

"I'll move heaven and earth to get back to you," I promised.

He held me even tighter against him until it became difficult for me to move. But I didn't care.

We were both too afraid to let go.

* * *

"You ready, Roza?" Dimitri asked, his arm snaking around my waist.

I nodded, watching as Lissa and Christian retreated to their honeymoon suite for the night. Lissa had become quite distraught as she said her goodbyes for the night. But I promised to see her before I left tomorrow, and insisted that she go and enjoy her wedding night.

"I'm ready," I said, leaning into his side. "There's just one thing I need to do before we go."

Dimitri looked at me quizzically but I just smiled, squeezing his hand and promising that I'd be right back.

I quickly scanned the room before seeing the signature messy hair I was looking for.

"Hey," I said as I approached and he turned to face me.

"Hey," he replied back, gesturing for me to take the seat opposite him. "Off tomorrow, I hear," he said, raising his glass to me in salute.

I nodded, my eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry, Adrian," I whispered eventually. "I'm sorry I've made a bad habit out of not being honest with you. I love you, and I never want to hurt you again. I can only imagine what you must think of me after everything I've put you through. I've treated you so terribly, and you deserve better." There was a shift in the room between us. We both knew we were no longer talking about the present, but how I had ended things all those years ago; how I'd never been brave enough to be honest with him about my feelings. "I know you have no reason to, but I hope you'll accept my apology and that one day, I can earn your friendship back again."

He was silent for a long moment, studying me closely.

"It was a shitty thing to do, Rose," he said eventually. "You can't be scared to tell the truth to those who you care about, no matter how hard it is."

"I know," I admitted. I felt the last of the weight lifting off my chest as I accepted this about myself. It wasn't who I wanted to be. "I promise, I'm working on it."

He nodded, standing and pulling me into a tight hug.

"Be safe, Little Dhampir," he whispered against my hair.

* * *

**Okay – so I know a majority of you weren't happy with Rose... What do you think of this resolution? I aimed to address that ever-persistent issue in their relationship that their duty would always come before their commitment to one another. Hang in tight for what I've got planned next!**

**Song – 'Falling like the stars' cover by Cole Norton (blown away by this rendition if you haven't heard it)**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello – I'm back. I know it's been a while and I'm sorry! I won't give up on this story but you have to bear with me through slow updates for the next little while. Honestly, I'm working 60-hour weeks saving for my trip and I just don't have the brainpower most nights/weekends to write a chapter worth publishing. I never want to upload something shitty and subpar just for the sake of getting it out!**

**Sorry again for the wait. I hope that it is worth it.**

* * *

**RPOV **

I lay tucked against Dimitri's chest, breathing in the scent of him. I hadn't slept a wink all night and I could tell by Dimitri's shallow and unsteady breathing that he hadn't either.

All too soon my alarm sounded. I was moving to switch it off when I felt Dimitri's free arm pull me back towards him, his hand moving to gently hold the back of my head.

"Another minute, Roza," he said quietly and I nodded, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat as the alarm beeped loudly around the dark room.

After an immeasurable perfect moment, his hand released me, sliding down my body slowly. I sighed, giving him one last lingering kiss on his chest before I rose reluctantly from the warm bed.

He sat up, watching me wordlessly as I pulled on my clothes, his dark eyes never leaving me as I moved around our bedroom in the dim light.

As I pulled my hair into a ponytail, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, looking to see a text from Hans.

**Final meeting in 5 Hathaway. You on your way?**

I laughed humourlessly.

"Hans still doesn't trust me to be on time," I joked to Dimitri. My voice sounded strange and hung heavy in the air between us. We'd both been up for hours, yet had hardly uttered a word. Dimitri was silent in response, his dark eyes watching me as I fiddled nervously with my phone. Eventually, I sighed, putting my phone in my pocket and turning to face him completely. "Are you going to come down?" I asked.

He nodded, wordlessly rising from the bed and pulling on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt before he pulled his hair back.

I was relieved when he offered out his hand to take mine. We were still in this strange limbo following our fight. Although we had made up last night, I knew that there had been a definitive shift in our relationship, and I worried what that meant for us if – _when _– I got back.

I took a deep breath, squeezing Dimitri's hand tightly in mine as we made our way to the final meeting room.

As we pushed open the heavy doors I saw Lissa first. She was pacing back and forth across the length of the room, deep bags under her eyes. Christian was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and his head raised towards the ceiling. His lips were moving slightly, almost as if he were murmuring something. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was praying.

Hans, Lehner and several other guardians and council members were standing around the big centre table, pouring over a messy pile of papers and maps. They all paused and stood to attention as we entered the room. Lissa too halted her pacing, staring at me for a long moment with shining eyes.

"Hathaway, Belikov," Hans said with a nod. Dimitri nodded in return. I was surprised when his hand didn't leave mine as we moved towards the table. He'd always been so careful about our contact and intimacy in public, particularly in front of the guardian council. If Hans noticed or in any way cared about our unusual display of affection, he didn't comment on it.

"Have you gone with my proposed changes?" Dimitri asked, eyeing the documents on the long wooden table.

"Proposed changes?" I asked as I looked between Dimitri and Hans curiously. Dimitri hadn't come to any of the meetings in the past week. Last I was aware, he knew nothing of the mission.

"Yes," Hans said with a nod, ignoring my question as he slid a couple of files towards where Dimitri and I stood. "We're splitting into groups to make us more mobile and to decrease the risk of exposure."

"And the wires?" Dimitri asked, examining the group allocations before us carefully.

"He had to work all day and night, but Grant has managed to develop a less conspicuous wire and tracker."

Dimitri nodded, lifting a photograph of a tiny black device to study it closely.

"And there are no issues with transmission over distances?"

"No. We've tested it up to 10 miles and there's been no–"

I cleared my throat, glancing between the two men expectantly.

Dimitri let out a sigh, putting the photograph down as his eyes scanned over a report on broadcast transmissions that may as well have been written in Swahili as far as I was concerned.

"You didn't seriously believe I wouldn't be vetting this every step of the way?" Dimitri said eventually, his eyes finally rising to meet mine. "No matter how mad I am at you, I'll always look out for you."

I blinked away the tears that threatened to spill over, putting my arm around his waist and burying my face in his chest.

Hans cleared his throat as Lissa came forward, placing her hand on my shoulder as she turned to address the guardians around her.

"This is our most important mission to date," she said gravely, demanding the attention of the room. "Get it right and we could change our world forever. I don't want any shortcuts taken. I don't want _any _compromises on safety. As we discussed in our meetings, there will be one fire-wielding Moroi for every three guardians. Look at which Moroi you are assigned to, it is important that you work with one another to protect them at all costs. The Strigoi will want to target them because they make an easier target and have the potential to do so much damage." She took a deep breath. "You know what to do. If we can manage to pull off an attack of this scale with no Moroi casualties, then there is no reason the council can argue against my implementing offensive magic."

There was a collective mumble around the room as the guardians nodded, excitement radiating off of them to form a tangible buzz around the room.

"And," she continued, her grip on my shoulder tightening ever so slightly, "at the first sign of trouble, I want Guardian Hathaway out," she ordered. "Mission be damned. That's an order."

Hans nodded. "This isn't a time for heroics," he said, looking towards me pointedly. "We want this mission to go off smoothly. If everyone follows the plan exactly then there is no reason why this mission shouldn't be a success. Do I make myself clear?"

There was another, less enthusiastic, collective mumble from the guardians. I could tell that the '_mission be damned' _position hadn't been an entirely popular concept.

"Right," Hans continued with a clap of his hands. "Hathaway, it's time for you to get wired up. Everyone else, remain in this room for final strategy talks and your Moroi and group assignments."

My stomach clenched as Grant emerged, wires in hand.

"This way, Hathaway," he called, indicating for me to follow him.

Dimitri's hand tightened around my own, holding me in place. When I turned to look at him he bent down, his lips barely an inch from my own.

"I have to stay here, Roza," he whispered, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek. "I'll be part of one of the guardian groups on standby."

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. "You don't have to do that," I whispered back.

He nodded, "I do. I have to do _something_. I have to be close, to be able to get to you. Just in case." On the last word, his voice cracked slightly and my heart pulled in my chest.

Instead of responding I leaned forward to press my lips against his. I savoured the sweet kiss, my hand stroking back his hair gently.

"I love you," I whispered as I pulled back.

"Always," he whispered back, his hand finally releasing my own.

As I turned from my husband I walked straight into Lissa's arms, her grip like steel around me.

"I love you," Lissa said, her voice wobbling slightly.

"You too, Liss," I said, giving her one final squeeze before I moved towards Christian.

He looked a mess, his eyes bloodshot and surrounded by dark, bruising circles.

"Be safe," he said softly as he pulled me into a tight hug. I nodded mutely, trying my hardest to push my emotions back as they threatened to come pouring out to the surface.

Finally, I stepped back, turning to give them all one final wave before I headed towards Grant.

"How are you feeling?" Grant asked kindly as he placed a hand on my shoulder and led me from the room.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, sucking a long breath in through my nose.

"I'm ready."

* * *

"Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3," I said quietly to myself as I pulled up to a stop sign. Less than five seconds later my phone buzzed with a response from Hans.

**All clear. Delete this. **

I took a deep breath, moving my hands from their nervous tapping on the steering wheel to delete the message.

With another shaky breath, I put my phone back into the cup holder and continued to drive forwards. When the familiar beat of a Nicki Minaj song came playing through the radio I smiled to myself, turning up the volume with a smirk.

"Hope you're enjoying this, Comrade," I said, chuckling as I remembered the look on his face when I'd first introduced him to her music. I believe the terms 'abomination' and 'demise of the music industry and society in general' were used.

My laughter died out as I glanced nervously around me. I was about twenty minutes from where my mother was 'being treated' for her injuries and about ten minutes from where we expected the Strigoi might intercept. The nerves were fluttering like crazy the closer we got to the destination. Never had I ever done anything so reckless or stupid in my life. And I had dropped out of school at 18 to go on a literal Strigoi hunting mission. Had anyone ever gone out with the intention of being caught by an army of Strigoi? I swallowed around my growing panic.

"You're okay," I whispered over and other again to the empty cab around me. I took another deep, shaking breath. The waiting was the worst part. Put me in the face of battle and I wouldn't bat an eyelid, but something about not knowing when I would be ambushed was making me feel as though I was on the edge of becoming a hyperventilating mess.

"Stop freaking out," I groaned to myself, forcing myself to focus only on the road in front of me.

I looked down briefly at the sound of my phone buzzing. It was Dimitri calling.

_Why would he be calling?_

I answered quickly. "Dimitri?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Are you okay?" he demanded urgently.

"Um..." I said, focusing on the road in front of me. "Yes?"

"Nothing's the matter?" he asked. "You need to have a clear head. I need you to be focused."

"I don't know," I whispered. "I've never felt this... this powerless before."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a long moment before I heard the sound of a door clicking shut.

"It's okay," he said eventually. "That's completely natural. Everything's going to be fine, Roza," he reassured me. "I'm so close by. I won't let anything happen."

I nodded before realising that he couldn't see me. "I know," I whispered. There was a long moment of silence before I whispered, "I'm scared, Dimitri."

"I know," he said back and I closed my eyes for a moment, listening to the way his accent caressed over the words. "Perhaps some soothing country music would make you feel better?" He said wryly after another long pause. "Rather than that terrible Nicki Firaj."

I snorted out a laugh and Dimitri joined me.

"I've got to go," he said a few seconds later with a sigh. "I shouldn't even be talking to you. Hans will have my neck."

"Okay," I said. "Thank you, Dimitri."

"I love you," he replied before the line went dead.

I took another deep breath, laughing to myself when another modern pop song came blaring through the radio. My head instinctively started bobbing to the beat.

_How could Dimitri hate this music? _I thought to myself with a chuckle. _It's classic._

I was still smiling to myself when a dark flash suddenly flew in front of the windshield. I slammed on the breaks, the car skidding along the road as it struggled to stop the forward momentum. Before it could screech to a stop another hard slam hit from behind. I screamed as a tree came into view through the windshield, struggling to quickly lock the steering wheel to the right. But I was too late. With a loud crash and the sound of grinding metal I was thrown forward and slammed backwards by the force of the airbag before everything went black around me.

* * *

I awoke with a thumping headache. My eyes felt like they were glued shut and it took me a moment in my confused haze to figure out why. I felt a sticky warm substance trickle down my face and over my eyes. Blood. I'm bleeding. _Why am I bleeding? _A crash and the groan of metal moulding around a tree flashed through my mind, bringing with it a surge of adrenaline. _Strigoi. Are there Strigoi? _With a groan, I raised my head. I was seated, but I wasn't in the car anymore. My arms were tied at an uncomfortable angle behind me, forcing my shoulders painfully back. I tugged gently at the ropes and tried to move my feet. They didn't budge and there was the feeling of something digging into my shins and ankles as I tried to move them. My feet were pulled at a strange angle too, to what I guessed were the legs of a chair.

I fought the grogginess as it threatened to take over again; pushing myself to keep my head raised as I forced my eyes to open and my vision came slowly into focus.

I sucked in a deep breath and flinched back as my eyes opened to find a pair of red-ringed irises staring directly at me.

The Strigoi smiled, his fangs coming into full view as he studied me closely.

"Hello, Rose," he said, his cold smile growing as he watched the panic rise in me. "I'm Gabriel."

He continued watching me darkly as I fought against my restraints, every instinct in my body screaming at me to get out of there. _Now_. He chuckled, watching my fruitless attempts to break free of my chains.

With another cold smile, I watched helplessly as his hand reached forwards and caressed my forehead, mopping up the hot, sticky blood that matted my hairline. I watched in disgust as he brought the hand back to his mouth, sucking on his finger grotesquely as he stared at me with a dark glint in his red eyes.

"Delicious," he said before he brought his hand back to my forehead. His fingers found the source of the bleeding and I let out a sharp scream when he pushed down, simultaneously pushing down on the wound and prying the skin apart. He continued to smile as he watched me writhing helplessly from my chair, pushing down harder as loud sobs racked through my body.

"Where's Vasilisa?" he demanded, pushing down harder until the pain was literally blinding. I thrashed around harder, feeling my shoulder pop painfully out of its socket in my struggle.

When I didn't respond he snarled, kicking the chair back effortlessly until my head slammed against the floor.

I let out another groan. My head was throbbing and I felt the familiar pull of blackness threatening to pull me under. At this stage I welcomed it.

"Ah-Ah, Rose," he tutted, as my eyes began to flutter shut. He used the collar of my shirt to pull me harshly back up off the floor. I heard the ripping of fabric and I closed my eyes in panic. _The wires. _I let out a loud sob; too scared to look down and see if the devices I was wearing were exposed. "No time for sleeping," he said forcing my eyes open with bloody fingers as they threated to droop shut. He slapped me and I moaned, fighting to keep my eyes open. _The mission_. I thought to myself as I pushed through the haze. _You have to stay awake for the mission_. He slapped me again and my eyes opened, blurring in and out of focus. His eyes seemed to glow red as he grabbed my face painfully between his hand, pushing my cheeks in and forcing me to look at him.

"Wake up, Rose," he snarled. "We're only just getting started."

* * *

**I hope it was worth the wait! **

**Don't forget to review and let me know what you think :) **


	28. Chapter 28 - The Mission Pt 1

**I'm sorry I left you on a bit of a cliffhanger but see, I wasn't gone too long! **

**Thank you for all your comments on the last chapter. I truly do appreciate them so much!**

* * *

**DPOV**

I paced back and forth in the small space in the back of the van. I barely made it two steps before I had to turn around again. Like some kind of caged tiger, I skulked back and forth, desperate to be anywhere but here.

"Hathaway's on the move," Hans' voice came crackling through the radio. "Drivers you know the procedure. Keep your distance."

An excited murmur broke through the van as I battled a wave of nausea.

I increased my pace until I was reaching the end of the van and turning around again basically every other second.

"Belikov, you're making me dizzy," Lehner joked. I ignored him, continuing my pacing as I tried desperately to think of anything other than the fact that Roza would be in the hands of Strigoi any time now.

"Sit down, man," he said, his tone turning more serious. "We've still got another twenty minutes or so."

I nodded, sinking to the floor of the van where the other Moroi and guardians were crouched, lining the walls.

"Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3," Roza's voice came through the earpiece and I let out a sigh of relief. For the moment, she was okay.

I listened intently as she took a deep breath, driving in silence for a few minutes. Suddenly there was the sound of the radio being turned up and I smiled to myself when that god-awful Nicki Firaj who Roza loved so much came blasting through the earpiece.

"Hope you're enjoying this, comrade," I heard her say and I smiled, closing my eyes as the sound of her laughter filled the earpiece. Just as quickly, her laughter died out. There was a long moment of silence before she began whispering to herself.

"You're okay," she muttered. "You're okay, you're okay." My stomach clenched at her tone. She sounded so anxious, but she had to stay focused, just like I taught her. Once the panic set in it was an incredibly hard thing to shake. I listened intently as she took a shaking breath.

"Stop freaking out," she demanded and my heartbeat quickened. I ripped out my earpiece and grabbed my phone.

"What are you doing?" Lehner hissed, staring at me incredulously. I ignored him as I quickly dialled Rose.

"Dimitri?" she answered quickly, her voice shaky.

"Are you okay?" I demanded.

"Um..." she paused in uncertainty. I felt someone grabbing my arm and looked to the side in annoyance. Lehner was giving me a warning look, waving the radio around. I covered the mouthpiece, shooting Lehner a warning glare as Hans' voice boomed through.

"Belikov!"

I ignored them as Roza added a tentative, "Yes?"

"Nothing's the matter?" I demanded, returning my focus back to Roza. "You need to have a clear head." I closed my eyes, ignoring the furious stares I was on the receiving end of. "I need you to be focused."

"I don't know," she whispered, and my heart ached for her. "I've never felt this... this powerless before."

Stevens tried to grab at the phone in my hand and I shook him off in irritation. When he tried again I ignored him, getting up to move across the back of the van and into the front section, closing the door behind me.

"It's okay," I reassured her. "That's completely natural. Everything's going to be fine, Roza. I'm so close by," I closed my eyes tightly, making this promise to myself as much as I was to my Roza. "I won't let anything happen."

What I wouldn't give to be in that car with her, to hold her hand and make sure she was safe.

"I know," she said eventually. There was a long moment of silence, where I listened only to the deep sound of her breathing. "I'm scared, Dimitri," she finally admitted, her voice cracking.

"I know," I replied, closing my eyes and imagining I was there with her. "Perhaps some soothing country music would make you feel better?" I said after another long pause, trying to take her mind off of what was to come. "Rather than that terrible Nicki Firaj."

She burst out into laughter and I joined her, relishing in the sound.

I was interrupted by the sound of gentle knocking at the door.

"Dimitri," Lehner called softly. "Man, you've gotta get off the phone."

I sighed. "I've got to go," I said reluctantly. "I shouldn't even be talking to you. Hans will have my neck."

"Okay," she replied, sounding stronger than she had a minute ago. That alone was worth any punishment Hans could give out. "Thank you, Dimitri."

"I love you," I replied, hanging up the phone and holding it tightly in my hand.

I emerged from the front and returned to my spot on the floor, ignoring the stares of my fellow guardians, which ranged from annoyed, to incredulous, to full of pity. I put my earpiece back in, resting my head against the wall of the van as I closed my eyes and listened intently for what was next to come.

My eyes flew open at the sound of screeching breaks. There was a large bang followed by a heart-wrenching scream from Roza and another deafening crash.

"What the hell was that?" I shouted, looking around me in panic. The guardians had all sat to attention, listening intently for what would follow.

My heart stopped as the sound of grinding metal broke through the deafening silence. Someone was there.

"Can you get her out?" someone called and my adrenaline kicked into overdrive, my limbs itching to move, to do _something._

"Got her," a voice called, much closer to the microphone this time. "Gabriel will be pleased," he called, panting heavily.

"Humans," Lehner mouthed, shaking his head in disgust.

I nodded, my teeth clenching. Their laboured breath and movement during the day were evidence enough. Like Galina, Gabriel had humans helping him.

"She's alive?" the other voice called.

"Yeah," the closer voice replied. "She's bleeding but alive. Let's get her to the van."

"If he doesn't awaken us for this..."

"He'll awaken us when he chooses to," the closer voice snapped. "Stop pushing him or you'll get us both killed."

There was the sound a lot of heavy breathing and shuffling before I heard a van door sliding open.

"Watch the light!" Another voice snarled, muttering under his breath, "Fucking idiots."

"Bleeding but alive," the first voice announced happily preceded by a loud thump.

"Good," the Strigoi snarled. "Now get rid of the car."

"Aren't we going to go back with you? To see Gabriel?"

The Strigoi growled. "Make me ask again and it'll be the last thing you do," he warned.

There was the sound of a door sliding open and shut before the tracker began to move on the tablet.

"They're on the move," Hans' voice announced through the radio. "All units standby. _Don't _get too close."

What followed was what felt like hours of fabric rustling and shuffling. No one spoke again, but the sound of Rose's steady breathing in and out soothed me.

_She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. _

There was a long stretch of silence before small sounds of movement again came rustling through the earpiece. Roza groaned and I stiffened, listening intently.

"Hello, Rose," a voice suddenly said. My heartbeat quickened, every muscle in my body was locked with tension. "I'm Gabriel."

* * *

Another shrill scream came through the earpiece and I ripped it out, squeezing my eyes shut tightly.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Lehner muttered, his head falling into his hands.

I slapped my hand against the wall of the van before sinking slowly to the floor. I didn't need the earpiece in to hear her screams running through my head. It was all I could fucking hear.

There was a scream so loud I could hear it through the earpiece in my hand and I flinched, fighting back the bile that rose to the back of my throat.

"Sick bastard," Stevens whispered, his head shaking in revulsion.

"What's happening?" I demanded. I couldn't stand to listen anymore, but at the same time, I was desperate for information.

I couldn't stand anything about this situation.

"He's um..." Stevens paused, recoiling as he listened to something through his earpiece. "Christ," he muttered, his eyes falling shut.

I couldn't take it anymore. I lifted the earpiece to my ear, desperate for information yet absolutely terrified of what I would hear.

"– pretty little neck. I'd love another taste," he whispered callously. I squeezed my hand shut so tightly I felt my fingernails break through the skin.

"Don't touch me!" Rose shrieked, her words were slightly slurred. She'd already passed out once, how much more could her body take?

I shook my head in frustration, ripping out my earpiece again and reaching for the radio. "We have to get her out," I demanded through the mouthpiece. "Now!"

Hans' voice came crackling through in reply almost immediately. "Stand down, Belikov. We don't even know if the army's there yet. And Hathaway hasn't used her safe word. She knows what to do if things take a turn for the worst."

"They _have_ taken a turn for the worst," I spat, shaking my head in frustration. "She's already passed out. God knows what kind of injuries she's sustained – if she can even_ remember_ her safe word. We need to –"

"Belikov!" Lehner called, his face frozen in horror. Every guardian in the room had paled and I dropped the radio, moving the earpiece to my ear as the world slowed around me.

"– fucking wire?"

Rose's loud sobs ripped through the earpiece, piercing straight into my soul.

"Please," she begged. "It's not what you think. Please!" Another deafening scream filled my ears as my heart stopped dead in my chest.

"Oh Rose..." he said, his voice eerily calm as another one of her screams ripped through my body. "Now you've made me angry."

The connection cut off, the deafening static filling my ears as I stared around me in horror.

* * *

**I knowww the cliff-hanger. Don't worry - I have written a fair bit of the next chapter already so that I wouldn't keep you waiting too long. **

**Don't forget to review :) **


	29. Chapter 29 - The Mission Pt 2

**Thank you again for all of your lovely reviews! Alena, I can't believe you read my story all in one go! That's amazing. **

**The final chapter of the mission is here!**

**Without further ado, here it is :)**

* * *

"All units go!" Hans' voice barrelled through the radio.

I stood in mute horror as the van came to life around me, screeching ahead at full speed as the guardians readied their weapons.

The shrill sound of my phone ringing brought me out of my daze.

I answered quickly.

"What the hell is going on?" Abe's voice demanded through the chaos. "We lost transmission of the tracker."

My hand flew to my hair in frustration. "They found it," I cried, squeezing my eyes shut.

A string of foreign curse words came flying through the phone.

"What do you mean, they _found _it?" he yelled.

I steadied myself as the van flew around a sharp corner.

"All units ready," Hans' voice again came booming through the speaker. "ETA three minutes."

Adrenaline coursed through my body. Three minutes. All units were three minutes away.

Rose didn't have three minutes.

"Just get to her!" I finally yelled through the chaos around me. "Now!"

I hung up the phone and grabbed my stake and gun. Lehner and Stevens appeared before me, their faces grave as they stood with their stakes poised for battle. Our Moroi, Raya, stood slightly off to the side, watching us with hawk-like intensity as she waited for her instructions.

"As soon as the van stops we're out of here, Belikov," Lehner promised, his hand clamping down on my shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly.

I nodded, my thumb running over the little rose etched near the base of my stake.

"We need to find Rose as quickly as possible," I said, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to try to think clearly.

"The estate's pretty big based off the aerials we were able to get," Stevens warned. "It may take us a while to check everywhere."

I swore under my breath as he showed me the images on a tablet. It was a fucking estate. It could take us up to twenty minutes to find her in there.

As my thumb continued to trace the pattern at the base of my stake I suddenly had an idea.

"I know how we can find her," I said, watching as the guardians raised their eyebrows in question. I ignored their questioning glances, twisting the stake in my hand. "Just cover me."

* * *

The van doors burst open and I was out, rushing towards the house. I made it to the door first, kicking it down effortlessly before the other guardians came streaming in behind me.

There was the sound of enraged roars as sunlight came pouring into the foyer. I watched in shock as a wave of Strigoi scattered back into the shadows.

"Jesus Christ," Stevens gasped under his breath as the Strigoi began to fill the room, snarling as they formed a circle around us from the shadows. For a moment we all came to a standstill, staring around us in shock. There had to be hundreds of them, emerging from every room in the estate and descending towards us with inhuman speed.

An army of Strigoi.

Adrenaline pumped through my body as hundreds of red, glowing eyes watched us closely from the shadows, snarling in anticipation.

Suddenly, flames began to burst through the darkness and the guardians sprung into action, leaping into the shadows and staking the Strigoi with ease. I didn't waste another second. I lunged forward, slamming into the first Strigoi I saw and trapping his body beneath mine.

He roared, snapping at me with his fangs while I pressed the tip of my stake against his neck. All around me there was the sound of fighting and bursts of light and heat as Lehner, Stevens and Raya covered me, holding off any other attacks. I pushed the stake down harder, watching as the Strigoi recoiled beneath me.

"Where's Rose?" I demanded, pushing the tip of the stake a little harder as he snarled underneath me.

He smirked, baring his fangs at me. "You're too late," he taunted. "Gabriel will have long killed her by now."

I roared, lifting his head by his collar and slamming it back against the floor.

He laughed coldly before letting out a low hiss when I dragged the stake across his throat.

"Maybe he's turned her already," he choked, spit flying through his teeth as he gave another cold laugh.

"Where's Rose?" I growled again, moving my stake down to rake slowly across the Strigoi's chest. He bucked under me in agony, yelling out in garbled cries. When he didn't respond I pushed harder.

"Where is she?" I yelled again, pushing my stake between his ribs at an excruciatingly slow pace.

"Argh!" he yelled out, writhing under me.

I only pushed the stake further, holding it still as I felt it touch his heart.

"Upstairs," he panted between cries.

I immediately thrust my stake through his heart, pulling it out just as quickly before I turned to the others.

"Upstairs!" I yelled.

They were still fighting Strigoi, a pile of bodies surrounding them on the floor. Lehner and Stevens quickly staked their kills, turning to run with me towards the huge marble staircase.

I pushed forward, Strigoi setting ablaze in front of me as I easily staked them, moving on to the next one without a second thought. I reached the staircase and glanced behind me. Raya was struggling, panting heavily as Lehner and Stevens formed a protective circle around her.

I looked between the staircase and Raya in frustration. We didn't have time to stop!

"Go on," she yelled when my gaze met hers. "We'll catch up."

"Belikov, go!" Lehner yelled when I hesitated for a brief second.

I nodded, leaving her with Lehner and Stevens as I pushed forward. My lungs screamed in protest as I ascended the winding staircase, but I barely noticed a thing. All I could think of was Roza. _She's not dead. _I told myself over and over as I pushed up the stairs, staking a Strigoi that leapt at me from above. _I would know if she was dead. _

_That Strigoi was lying. _

_He was lying._

I rounded the corner and let out a sigh of relief. One more flight. I was almost at the top and I could see the thick wooden doors getting closer and closer with every passing leap I took up the stairs. My Roza was behind them. Just a few more steps –

Suddenly, I was slammed into from behind, my body flew forwards onto the hard marble steps as my stake clattered to the landing above.

I rolled over, moving my neck just in time as the Strigoi lunged for me. I grunted under the weight of him as he continued to come at me, fangs bared.

For a moment we struggled, but without my stake, my options were limited.

I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed his head, forcing my thumbs deep into his eyes. He roared as blood began to pour out from under my fingers. I pushed harder, wrapping my legs around his torso until I twisted us so I lay on top of him, pinning his arms beneath my knees.

I glanced up. My stake was so close. I lunged for it, kicking my boot over his head to stop his fangs as I grabbed the stake and thrust it through his chest.

I didn't take a moment to catch my breath before I was up again, racing towards the doors. I burst through the heavy mahogany, my body freezing at the sight that lay before me.

Rose was at the other end of the room, tied to a chair with her head lolling to the side. Her clothes were ripped and bloodied, her shirt hanging open. She was pale, blood pouring out of her head and neck. _Her neck_. She'd been bitten.

A Strigoi stood over her, regarding me with his cold, calculating gaze. He smiled at me across the room, continuing to watch me as he bit into his wrist and lifted it slowly towards Rose's slack mouth.

"No!" I yelled out, my eyes locked on the scene in front of me in horror.

"There's nothing quite like it, is there Belikov?" he asked with a dark smirk as I stood, frozen in dread. "Eternal life..."

The world slowed around me; my vision stayed locked on the droplets of blood on his wrist as they inched closer and closer to destroying me.

"You were too weak to show her," he continued, laughing coldly. "Let's show your girl what she's been missing."

As his wrist moved that final, fatal inch I yelled out, lunging forward helplessly.

Suddenly the Strigoi dropped to the ground, screaming in agony as flames engulfed his body. I looked behind me to see Raya standing in the doorway, her eyes blazing as they stayed locked on the Strigoi. Lehner and Stevens stood behind her, holding off a wall of Strigoi that were fighting their way up the stairs.

I snapped back into action, rushing forwards to stake the Strigoi where he lay, his body contorting into ugly shapes on the floor.

I formed a protective barrier in front of Roza as Raya turned towards the door. The Strigoi immediately began to catch alight and I watched in amazement as the scene before me shifted. Lehner and Stevens were on the attack now, staking each Strigoi that appeared before them in a mere matter of seconds as small bursts of fire continued to distract them.

In a matter of minutes, the army swarming up the stairs was reduced to a pile of bodies beneath their feet.

"Can she walk?" Lehner asked, wiping the sweat off his brow as he tried to peer past me to look at Rose.

I shook my head, turning to untie her where she sat limply on the chair. She was so pale. If it weren't for the ragged sound of her breathing I would be terrified that I was too late. That she was...

I shook the thought from my head.

"She's lost a lot of blood," I called over my shoulder as I worked to quickly untie the knots binding her wrists. "We need to get her down to Nina. Now."

I lifted Rose from her chair effortlessly, turning to face the others. Stevens nodded, disappearing for a moment to peer down the staircase.

"They're still fighting down there," he said when he returned a moment later.

Lehner leaned over in curiosity, following where Stevens' gaze had been a moment before. He let out a surprised laugh. "The bastards are lighting up like the Fourth of July."

Raya smirked, her arms folding over her chest in satisfaction.

"Get her out of here, Belikov," she said, indicating with her head towards the stairs. "We'll cover you."

I nodded, descending the stairs with Lehner at the front and Stevens covering the back. Raya stayed with me in the middle, her eyes peeled for the slightest sign of danger.

I stumbled slightly as the sight of the battle came into view.

Strigoi were falling everywhere. There had to be more than a hundred bodies littering the floor, and with every second a sharp burst of light was accompanied with another Strigoi falling to the floor, a stake thrust through their chest. But what astounded me the most was that I couldn't see a single one of our bodies down there.

How different this situation would have looked in any other fight, the bodies of slain guardians littering the ground. And they would be the lucky ones. The ones taken would suffer a fate worse than death.

"You were right, Rose," I whispered in awe as we hurried down the staircase. "You did it."

My grip on her body tightened as a Strigoi lunged at us from the side. Before Lehner or Stevens could even react, he was ablaze, his body crippling to the floor as fire flared around him. Stevens leapt forward, staking him with ease as we continued to move through the chaos.

A few more Strigoi leapt at us as we made our escape. They went down just as easily as the first.

I was surprised to see just how quickly their numbers were dwindling. The battle would be over before it had barely begun.

Within a few short minutes, we burst back into the light of the foyer. Raya, Lehner and Stevens turned back towards the battle, waving me on. I nodded my thanks before I broke into a sprint towards the waiting van.

"Nina!" I yelled as I approached. She appeared at the mouth of the back of the van, her eyes peeled for any sight of danger. She nodded as she took in the sight of Rose, unconscious in my arms.

"Move," she demanded as I gently placed Rose in the back of the van. She crouched down over her, her hands placed over the worst of the damage to her head and neck.

I watched intently as the wounds began to close and the colour returned to Roza's features.

"Give her a minute," Nina instructed as she moved away to sit down, pale and exhausted.

I nodded, giving my thanks as I took my seat next to Roza. I watched her closely, lifting her hand and gripping it tightly in my own.

After a few excruciating minutes, Roza's eyes finally began to flutter open. I reached forward, gently grabbing her face in my hands.

She winced slightly, her head rolling around in panic before he eyes adjusted to find mine.

"Dimitri?" she asked, her body finally relaxing as she broke out of her confused haze.

"It's over, Roza," I said, kissing her forehead softly.

"Gabriel?" she asked, her voice raising an octave. My stomach twisted at the memory.

"Dead," I said firmly, gripping her hand even tighter in mine. "You're safe. He'll never hurt you, or anyone else, ever again."

"Where are the others?" she asked, glancing around the empty van in confusion.

"They're okay," I reassured her, gently stroking her matted hair off her face. "The battle is almost over."

"Battle?" she asked, rising up onto her elbows to look past me.

I gently pushed back on her shoulders, forcing her to relax. "The army was there Roza. Hundreds of them."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hundreds? How bad is it? We should get back in there. We have to help!"

I stared at her in amazement, unable to stop the smile as it spread over my features. "They're fine without us. We've almost won."

She continued to stare at me in confusion as I grinned at her.

"You should have seen it in there, Roza!" I continued in excitement, leaning forward to pepper her face with kisses. "It was incredible. Hundreds of Strigoi dropping like flies without a single guardian falling. Hundreds dead in less than thirty minutes!"

She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Not a single guardian lost?" she asked in amazement.

I shook my head. "None that I could see," I told her, lifting her hand to kiss it gently. "You did it, Roza. It was incredible. _You_ are incredible."

She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes wide as she struggled to find words.

Finally, she smiled, a single tear rolling down her cheek as her eyes fell shut in exhaustion.

"Well how about that," she whispered.

* * *

**What do you think? I've never written a battle action sequence like this before and I hope that I managed to do it justice.**

**We will now get to see some more happy moments ****(and babies) ****for our lovebirds, I promise.**

**Please don't forget to review :) **


	30. Chapter 30

**Here you go! Sorry for the delay. I hope that you are all staying safe and self-isolating (I know it's boring, but we just have to get through this time together). Here's a little something that hopefully makes it a bit more interesting! **

**Thank you again for your lovely comments.**

**Be safe and healthy xxx**

* * *

Lissa glided gracefully towards the podium, her easy poise contrasting with the rigid alertness of every Guardian in the room. She reached the podium and gave a quick wave of her hand, signalling for all before her to rise from their bows. As she greeted the crowd every member of the Queen's Guard seemed to simultaneously tense, every muscle in our bodies twitching with anticipation as our eyes locked warily on the swarm of people surrounding the stage.

We'd begged Lissa not to make this announcement in public. Vlad knew how people were going to take it. But of course Lissa, being Lissa, had insisted that she would not hide from her people. They needed to hear this life-changing news, and they deserved to hear it from her directly.

"Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to listen to me today," Lissa began as the crowd settled around her. "I know it is rare that public announcements of this kind are made, but I consider it important to share this with you all. This news may be difficult for some of you to come to terms with, but if you will please refrain from speaking until I am finished, I will gladly answer any questions you may have."

The crowd seemed to buzz with anticipation. The nervous energy that was emanating from them was so strong that it seemed almost palpable in the air around them.

Lissa cleared her throat, glancing at the sheet in front of her before she cast her eyes to the crowd with steely determination.

"As many of you are aware, the Strigoi threat has grown to an unprecedented scale. The numbers are no longer something that we can ignore, and I'm afraid that we must learn new ways to defend ourselves in order to preserve our species. Two days ago, we employed such new tactics and successfully completed a top-secret mission in which we eliminated a nest of 196 Strigoi, the largest number we have ever seen."

There was a horrified murmur throughout the crowd as that information slowly sunk in. I could hear collective gasps and whispers running through the hall. _196 Strigoi? We're all doomed. That many? Were they close to here? _I watched closely as they glanced anxiously at one another, their faces frozen in identical masks of dread.

Lissa held up her hand, silencing the gentle hum of nervous whispers.

"Whilst we have certainly never seen Strigoi work together on this scale, we were brave enough to employ a new tactic. As a result, we were able to complete this mission with _no_ fatalities."

The crowd fell silent, the air seeming to leave the room as they stared at Lissa in disbelief. I shook my head, fighting a smile as I watched the pure bewilderment on everyone's faces. I had been the same when Dimitri had first told me. _No fatalities? _It seemed inconceivable in an attack of this scale. In an attack of _any _scale, having no fatalities was never a guarantee.

"How?" A Moroi finally gasped from the front row. "How is this possible?"

Lissa gave a small smile and I tensed, ready to intervene at the slightest sign of trouble.

"It is important to remember that the Strigoi have evolved," she started gently. "We thought it was important that we too learn to evolve." She took a deep breath, pushing her shoulders back and raising her voice as she declared, "That is why we sent, for every three Guardians, one fire using Moroi. This combined with Spirit users on the sidelines who were able to heal the critically injured made the mission a resounding success."

I scanned the crowd closely for any sign of contempt, my eyes focused on the Royal Moroi in particular. Most just stared at Lissa in disbelief, although some looked absolutely horrified by what she was suggesting.

"I understand that many of you may have concerns about what this means for the future," Lissa continued over the murmurs of shock from the crowd. "We cannot ignore the success of this mission and the lessons it stands to teach us about the way in which we operate. With the support of the Council, we have implemented a number of changes and rules that we feel best suit _all _people.

"As you all know, defensive magic classes are already mandatory in all schools. As a part of this new initiative, defensive magic classes will be mandatory for _all _Moroi, regardless of age or status. Offensive magic classes will also be made mandatory for all Moroi in schools, including training with their Dhampir classmates three times per week –"

"What!" someone cried in outrage. I looked around quickly until my eyes focused on a Royal Moroi, his face ballooning red and purple in rage under the harsh overhead lights. Myself and several other members of the Queen's Guard stepped forward, ready to intervene. Lissa held up her hand to us, ordering us to stand down.

"Sir," she reasoned politely, "I will have time for questions at the end, I promise. I understand that this is difficult but please let me finish before I address your concerns."

The Moroi said nothing further, but looked at Lissa murderously, his chest heaving in anger. I kept my eyes trained on him as Lissa continued.

"Thank you," she said. "So Moroi will train offensively with Dhampir as a part of their school curriculum, but this requirement will not continue past graduation. When a Moroi graduates, they may elect to no longer partake in offensive magic programmes. There will be no further requirements for them to ever partake in offensive magic if they do not wish to do so. However, they must continue to train themselves in defensive magic and will be required to use such skills to aid Guardians should a Strigoi attack take place. Any Moroi who knowingly and without lawful excuse refuses to use their magic to assist and protect other Dhampir and Moroi will find themselves guilty of recklessly endangering the life of another. Where a Moroi's unlawful refusal to assist in defending themselves and those around them results in death, that Moroi may be found guilty of recklessly causing the death of another."

I held my breath, every nerve in my body on high alert as I carefully studied the expressions of the Moroi surrounding the stage. Some looked shocked, but many looked outraged.

"I understand that this may come as a shock to many," Lissa continued over the angry murmurs bubbling around her, "but I hope that our unprecedented success combining offensive magic with Guardian capabilities will show you all that this is a necessary evolution in our society. Without such changes, I can honestly say that our future is in peril. We need to take these unprecedented steps to protect Guardian numbers and employ every tool necessary to diminish the Strigoi population. Thank you for your time and your attention, I will now take questions."

There was a moment of absolute stillness before a string of angry questions erupted from the crowd and were fired at Lissa. She held up her hand.

"One at a time please!" She urged, pointing towards one Moroi in particular. "What is your question, sir?"

The man stepped forward, raising his voice above the discontent rumblings around him. "How can you suggest putting Moroi on the front line?" he asked incredulously, shaking his head in frustration. "You're talking about putting our lives at risk! You're supposed to be our Queen and yet you send us off to fight the Strigoi like pigs for slaughter?"

"Thank you for raising that concern, Sir," Lissa replied loudly over the collective mumbles of agreement. "I will happily address it." I watched the crowd closely, my body buzzing with anticipation. _This was a terrible idea._

"I care deeply for the lives of all my people. Please believe me when I promise that I would _never _purposefully endanger your lives. We believe that the measures the Counsil have decided to implement will actually _save _lives – both Moroi and Dhampir. Previously Moroi have been defenceless, reliant entirely on the abilities of the Guardians who so bravely and selflessly dedicate their lives to defending them. However, if Moroi intervened in attacks with either offensive or defensive magic, the odds are greatly shifted in our favour. Further, should a Moroi ever find themselves in a situation where their Guardians can no longer fight to protect them, they will have the skills and ability to defend themselves." When the angry murmurs continued throughout the crowd Lissa silenced them, holding her hand up as she pleaded. "I am not trying to force anyone into anything, we just want to give people the power to be able to defend themselves.

"But you're forcing us to engage in offensive magic!" An angry voice called from the crowd. "That has never been our way! We are a peaceful people."

Lissa nodded sagely in understanding. "Thank you for raising that point. I certainly agree that Moroi should not be forced into combative positions. Please understand that offensive magic beyond a school level is _optional_. We will not be sending any Moroi who is unwilling on missions to seek out Strigoi. What we are suggesting is that Moroi finally learn to make use of their abilities _in the event _of an attack. This will drastically decrease the number of deaths resulting from attacks and help maintain Guardian numbers."

I let out a shaky breath when that response seemed to fan out some of the anger in the room. There was a murmur of agreement from the Guardians who lined the walls, their expressions clearly working hard to remain in their usual impassive masks.

"But how can you guarantee that this isn't just the beginning?" Another Moroi cried. "How do we know that in another year you won't be training our children like the Dhampir, preparing them to be sent to battle?"

"Thank you for your question," Lissa replied earnestly. "I can assure you that _no one, _Dhampir and Moroi alike, will be sent on dangerous missions if it is not their wish to do so. For the vast majority of us, this will change very little, except that in the event of an attack a Moroi will assist in defending themselves and their friends. There is little I can do to prove this to you without the benefit of time, but I urge you to remember that I have always acted in the interests of us all. I take my duties very seriously and would never force people into such roles unwillingly, no matter what race they are. But it is time for the Moroi to make some changes and be willing to learn. Divided, the Strigoi will win this battle. But if we learn to stand together, we will be stronger than we've ever thought possible."

There was another moment of silence and I fought back a small smile as Dimitri's gaze met mine across the room.

"What if this doesn't work?" another voice cried. This voice sounded less angry than it did scared. "We've never tried anything like this before! What if Moroi simply aren't prepared for battle. What if we are needlessly dying?"

"Thank you, miss," Lissa said, smiling kindly in the woman's direction. "As I said, we expect that this approach will actually _save _Moroi and Dhampir lives. However, we have committed to completing a full-scale review of the statistics and are willing to hear back from members of the community one year after this programme's implementation. From there we will make any changes necessary to ensure we are all as safe as possible. I do, however, encourage everyone to come into this new phase with an open mind and to be as objective as possible when the time for review does come. Our goals are the same. We all want you and your children to be as safe as possible."

The questions continued on like this for another hour or so. Most of the questions were just variations of the same point. It came down to the simple point that the Moroi were scared. But Lissa did an excellent job of remaining patient and answering each question fully and sincerely.

We still had a long way to go, but honestly, we couldn't have dreamed for the reveal to the public to have gone any better.

I gave Lissa a subtle thumbs up from my place against the back wall when she finally answered the last question and graciously stepped down from the podium. She smiled at me, looking exhausted but radiating satisfaction at the same time. We'd worked so hard for this. Years of working and dreaming and disappointments and it had all finally come to fruition. I grinned back at her as she made her exit, flanked by the Royal Guard. I wasn't technical back on duty for another couple of days, but I had come to support Lissa and lend a hand if anything went wrong.

Dimitri gave a brief nod and small smile in my direction before he left with Christian. He hid it well, but I could tell he was ecstatic with today's outcome. Having seen the success of the mission first hand, he was more passionate than ever about Moroi using magic to defend themselves.

I sighed as I looked around the quickly emptying hall. Dimitri would still be another nine hours on his shift. Frankly, when I wasn't working or with Dimitri, I didn't know what to do with myself; but Lissa had insisted that I take the time off to heal after everything that had happened on the mission. As if sitting around thinking about it all day was any better, I thought to myself dryly.

I huffed again as I made my way back to the apartment, the door falling shut heavily behind me in the emptiness.

I flicked on the TV to drown out the silence and flopped heavily on the couch. I tried my hardest to focus on the mindless drama of whatever _Real Housewives_ I was watching, but my mind kept turning in anxious circles. I couldn't believe that we had finally implemented offensive and defensive magic. It was something we had worked towards for so long, and now that it was finally here I didn't know how I felt about it. I was happy, obviously, but I was also worried for Lissa. I worried that this was something the royal Moroi would never come to terms with. I worried that another crazy fanatic like Tasha would come out of the woodworks and hurt her because they didn't like her politics.

I'd expressed these concerns to Lissa many times, but she was far more optimistic than me. _It takes time to change people's hearts and minds_, she had reassured me. _Soon we'll get to the point where this is the new norm. It won't even be an issue once people see how many lives we can save._ I sighed, my mind turning to the promise I had made to Dimitri before the mission. Could I really leave her at a time like this? A time where our world was changing so much and where so much was at stake?

I had to... I'd promised Dimitri. I'd even made an appointment to see her later today so that I couldn't chicken out. But as sure as I was that this was the right path for Dimitri and me, I was still absolutely dreading telling my best friend. I didn't even know where to begin to tell her that I was leaving her. I was her best friend, her family, and I had vowed to put her life above mine. Always. And even though I knew that Lissa loved me and wanted me to be happy, I couldn't shake the memory of the last time we had had a conversation like this.

_You love him more than me._

I squeezed my eyes shut as the memory of her small broken voice filled my head and pierced through my chest.

_Please, Rose. Please don't leave me._

I shook the memory from my head with a frustrated groan. _Stop it, Rose! Stop freaking yourself out. _

Things were different now. Lissa would understand.

She had to...

* * *

**I hope that you enjoyed! What do you think of the new changes to their society? **

**I have just found out that work is reducing my hours because of this whole situation which is going to be tricky :( but on the bright side, I should hopefully have more time to write! **

**I hope that everyone is doing okay. Stay safe 3**


	31. Chapter 31

**Hello! I hope you're all staying safe and healthy (and isolating)! **

**Thanks again for all your comments. **

**Enjoy xxx**

* * *

I took a deep breath and raised a shaking fist to the door in front of me, trying desperately to silence the persistent inner monologue that had been echoing through my head all afternoon. I worked to control the trembling in my hand as I tapped gently on the door to Lissa's suite.

_Now or never, Rose. _

A few moments later my best friend answered. She was dressed in sweatpants and her hair was tied messily on top of her head, but she had never looked more radiant. She grinned at me, pulling me into a big hug and jostling me up and down with her excited bounces.

"We did it!" she squealed.

I chuckled, returning her hug as tightly as I could. Just in case. After a minute of this, I sighed, pushing her back gently.

"Are you going to let me in?" I teased, working to shake the nerves that were currently wreaking havoc in the pit of my stomach.

"Sorry," she said, pulling back to look at me. "I'm just so excited." She stepped out of the way, motioning for me to come in. "We did it, Rose," she said, her voice thick emotion. "I just can't believe it."

"It is pretty amazing," I replied, smiling at her warmly. "But I always knew you could do it."

She motioned for me to sit on the couch and I took a seat, working hard to keep the nerves out of my expression as I smiled at her. She hovered above me, still buzzing with excitement.

"Do you want anything?" she asked, waving towards the kitchen. "Tea? Water?" I made a face and she laughed. "Something sugary and terrible for you?"

I raised my eyebrows at her and she shook her head in exasperation, a smile tugging at her lips.

"I have Coke," she said and I nodded my thanks, rubbing my hands nervously over my jeans.

A moment later she came back into the room holding a glass of Coke and a steaming mug of tea. She handed me the Coke and flopped on the couch opposite me.

"God, I can't believe how exhausted I am," she groaned, her head falling back onto the cushions. "It's like I've been working off pure adrenaline for so long and now I'm just... I don't even know how to –"

"Lissa," I interrupted.

Lissa stopped talking, her eyebrows bunching together in confusion at my tone as she lifted her head to face me.

"What's the matter, Rose?" she asked cautiously after a moment of tense silence. "You look..."

"I have something to tell you," I said with a sigh. I ran my hand through my hair, placing the glass down on the table and leaning forward to take her hand in mine.

"Oh," she replied, her tone cautious as she reached forward to grip my hand.

I took a deep breath, meeting her jade eyes as I gnawed at my bottom lip nervously.

"Rose," she said, her voice laced with concern. "Whatever it is – just spit it out."

I nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing my lip from between my teeth.

"Okay," I said, squeezing her hand tightly in mine. "Lissa, I made a promise to be honest with you from now on, no matter how hard it is. So here it goes..." I paused, taking one final, shaking breath. "Before I went on the mission, Dimitri asked me to resign... and," she took an audible breath through her nose and my heart tugged painfully in my chest. _Do it, Rose_, I told myself. I sighed, gripping her hands in mine like she was a lifeline anchoring me to shore. "... And I promised him that I would."

When she didn't respond straight away, I continued on, my voice turning pleading as I fought against tears. "I have to do it, Liss," I cried. "You've always come first – from the day I met you I have always chosen you. I have shoved my feelings and personal life to the background so that I always knew you were protected. And that's okay; I love you and it was all I ever wanted to do with my life." I shook my head sadly, "But then I met Dimitri, and suddenly I wanted _more_. I still wanted my life with you, but I wanted a life with him too – a normal life where we could be together without all of this," I motioned around me and Lissa nodded sagely, her eyes shining with tears. "Ever since the moment I realised that I loved him, it felt like my heart was caught in the most painful tug-of-war. I still loved you, but now I loved him too. And the two weren't harmonious – it was like they were at war with one another in my body; the two loves of my life pulling my heart in opposite directions..." a tear escaped and ran down my face and I wiped it away in frustration. "But we found a way to make it work," I said with a small smile, "and for a while, everything was okay... But there's no compromise now, Liss," I cried, my voice thick with tears. "It's time to put Dimitri and our life together first. Please understand; I can't lose him. I'm so," a loud sob ripped through my chest and Lissa's grip around my hand tightened. I continued speaking around the loud sobs, wiping the tears in frustration. "I'm so sorry. I feel like I'm betraying you. Please... please understand."

I stuttered to a stop, holding my breath as I studied my best friend's face through the blurry veil of my tears. She was studying me closely, her eyes filled with pity.

"Rose," Lissa whispered when I finally got my breathing under control. She reached forward, her arm stroking mine gently. "I'm sorry that I made you so scared to tell me. I know last time I didn't take it so well," she shook her head at the memory. "I'm so sorry that I made you feel as though you _owed _it to me to stay. You don't owe me anything; you've already given up so much for me. Of course I understand if you want more with your life. You've been through so much - you deserve more than anyone to be happy."

I stared at her at disbelief before I stammered out a response.

"You're... you're not mad?"

"Of course not, Rose," she said with a light laugh. "I'm a little sad, I'll miss seeing you every day. But how could I be mad that you want to start a life with your husband? That the two of you want a _real _life together? I've had you as my protector for my whole life," she said gently. "It's someone's turn to look after you."

Another relieved sob overcame me and I ran around the table, throwing myself at my best friend. She laughed, falling backwards onto the couch with her arms locked tightly around me.

We lay like that for a long moment, Lissa's fingers gently stroking through my hair.

"What will you do?" Lissa asked eventually, pulling back to face me.

"I'm not sure yet," I answered honestly. "Dimitri mentioned going back to St Vlads to teach." I shrugged, giving a light laugh. "At first I hated the idea, but now I think it's something that I wouldn't mind doing. If I could help prepare just one kid the way that Dimitri prepared me, I would feel like my time was worth it. That extra training saved me, Liss. Heaven knows where I'd be without it. There are so many Novices that go out into the world with this false sense of... _readiness. _But they're completely unprepared for what's out there. Most won't even make it through their first fight."

She nodded, her expression turning thoughtful.

"I think you'd be a good teacher," she said, smiling at me softly.

I snorted. "Are you kidding? That's the one thing holding me back! Do you not _remember _me in high school? There's no way Alberta will trust me with her students. And we all know where Stan's vote would be."

"Give yourself more credit, Rose," Lissa said, rolling her eyes. "You were a star pupil in combat. Dimitri and you together would be a lethal teaching force."

"Yeah the Russian is hard-core," I said with a laugh, shaking my head at the memory of all the sessions that had ended with me collapsed on the floor, unable to breathe. "That man kicked my ass into shape hard. Those kids don't know what's coming for them."

She laughed too, shaking her head lightly. "I remember that crazy training schedule you had. All those insanely early wakeups – I was so surprised you actually got up in time." She gave me a slow, exaggerated wink. "Although maybe now I understand the real force that was dragging you out of bed at 4 o'clock."

I chuckled. "It wasn't a bad sight to wake up to. But honestly, he just made me realise how _not _ready I was for what's out there, you know? I realised that if I wanted to be your Guardian, I had to be the best. And to be the best, I had to train with the best."

She slapped the couch suddenly with a loud thwack. I jumped back and gave her a confused look.

"What?" I asked when she started bouncing up and down on the couch excitedly.

She turned to me, grinning widely. "I know _exactly _what you can do!"

* * *

"Comrade, I'm home!" I called out, dropping my keys into the bowl in the foyer.

I entered the living room to find Dimitri on the couch watching a documentary on Mixed Martial Arts. He turned to smile at me sweetly for a moment before digging back into a bowl of pasta. It smelt _heavenly. _

"There's some more on the stove," he said, pointing with his fork towards the kitchen. "I wasn't sure if you'd eaten."

My stomach growled loudly in response and he chuckled.

"What did you do today?" he called out as I was shovelling spoonfuls into a bowl. We had the most ridiculous sized pasta bowls, and I was sure not to waste even an inch of space in mine.

"I went to the meeting," I called from the kitchen, shovelling a couple pieces of pasta into my mouth directly from the pot.

"Obviously," he said dryly. "I did see you there, Roza."

I chuckled, ignoring his snarky comment.

"Honestly, not much after that," I replied, rounding the corner to plop on the couch next to him. "I kind of bummed around, thought about some stuff, watched TV and then, I went to see Lissa."

"Oh?" he asked, his gaze flicking between the documentary and me. "How is she? I imagine she's very happy with how things went today. I know Christian was ecstatic."

I fought back a smile, watching his face closely.

"I told her."

I grinned as he dropped his fork, turning to face me fully with a look of absolute bewilderment.

"What?" he asked, his eyes scanning my face closely in disbelief. "You never told me you were going to tell her... you didn't even tell me you were thinking about your promise!"

I grinned again, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Where's the fun in that, Comrade?"

"How'd she take it?" he demanded, fighting back a smile.

I smiled, shovelling a forkful of pasta into my mouth. Dimitri stared at me impatiently and I laughed, leaning forward to kiss him.

"She took it great."

"Roza, that's amazing!" he replied ecstatically. His gaze turned serious as he studied me. "Does that mean... does that mean it's happening?"

I smiled again and he dropped his bowl, pulling me into a deep kiss.

"Dimitri," I cried, pushing him away playfully. "You're going to get marinara on the couch!"

He laughed, grabbing the bowls and putting them on the coffee table.

"Sorry," he said, leaning forward to kiss me again.

"No you're not," I chuckled. "Anyway, you didn't even let me finish – that's not even the best part."

He raised an eyebrow, looking at me expectantly.

"Liss and I were talking about what we would do after retiring from the Guard. I mentioned teaching, maybe going back to St Vlads and running programmes like you did for me. It gave Lissa an idea..."

I paused dramatically, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Spit it out, Roza!"

I laughed, sticking my tongue out. "Alright, so she's decided that we are the new faces of an intensive programme teaching Moroi and Dhampir to work together in combat!"

He blinked a couple times, clearly thrown by the idea. After a moment a big smile overcame his features.

"Roza, that's perfect."

"It gets better..." I said and he stared at me in disbelief.

"How could I possibly get better?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Well..." I drawled, teasingly slowly. "We made some calls while I was over there. I was very insistent that we'd like to make the maximum impact possible. So we've made the calls and it turns out we are a very hot commodity – _lots _of schools want us. We ended up deciding on St Vlads and St Basils. We'll do six-month stints in each, alternating between the two."

Dimitri's mouth fell open, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Do you mean..."

"You're going home, Comrade. Half a year, every year, we'll spend in Russia. You get to see your family."

He shook his head in amazement and met my gaze with a brilliant smile, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Roza," he whispered into my hair, his voice thick with emotion. He pulled back, staring at me in admiration. "This is happening?" he checked, studying my face closely. "You're happy with this? I know I gave you... a bit of an ultimatum. It's not something I feel good about."

I nodded slowly, taking his hands in mine.

"I know I fought this for a long time, and honestly I was so frightened to tell Lissa... of leaving her and everything I've ever known behind. But now that I have... I can't describe it. If feels like... like the biggest weight has been lifted off my chest. I feel... _free_."

He smiled, leaning forward to kiss me gently.

"And honestly," I continued, pulling back to face him. "I'm really excited that we still get to do some good. Imagine how many lives will be saved with this new programme! We can do for so many kids what you did for me."

"Minus the inappropriate relationship I hope," he added dryly and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey," I replied, wiggling my eyebrows, "no promises 'til I see what the kids look like."

He shook his head in exasperation and I laughed, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm happy, Comrade," I promised him, putting all joking aside. "I honestly can't even describe how happy I am."

I felt him smile from where his lips were pressed against my hair.

"Me too."

* * *

**Tada! What do you think of their plan for the future? Don't forget to review and let me know what you think!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you for all the reviews!**

**Haha don't fret – there are babies to be had. Sorry if I left you all with the impression that that was it! That would have been a bit too anticlimactic for me. **

**This story probably has at least another 4 or so chapters left! I have a few more things I'd like to show and then there will definitely be an epilogue :)**

* * *

Two and a half years later

**DPOV**

"Rose!" I called out, grabbing my water bottle and keys. "Are you ready?"

I huffed in annoyance when she didn't respond to me. _Well, that means no. _"I am not being late to my own session again!" I called out in warning.

I shook my head in exasperation when there was still no response.

She'd better not still be in bed.

I rounded the corner to our bedroom, fully prepared to dump a glass of water on her if that's what it took.

Lissa had been kind enough to have the cabin extended for us to live in during our time at St Vlad's as a parting gift and a thank you. It now consisted of a separate kitchen and living room, as well as a bedroom and ensuite.

I pulled up short when I entered the room to find the bed was empty. If she was up, then why wasn't she responding to me? I paused when I heard a soft, muffled sniffle coming from behind the closed bathroom door.

"Roza?" I asked, gently pushing the door open.

She was sitting on the closed toilet seat, her head cradled in her hands. My heart leapt in my throat when I saw the two pregnancy test sticks gripped tightly in her fists.

I sucked in a deep breath, walking towards her slowly.

"I was sick when I woke up," she explained, looking at me with nervous hopefulness in her teary eyes. "I thought maybe..." she sighed, her eyes flitting to her workout watch where it lay on the vanity. "It's still got another minute left."

I nodded, pulling her hand into mine and rubbing my thumb over it gently. We'd decided to start trying just over a year into our work with the new program. We had Roza's contraceptive removed and figured we'd just see what happened, no pressure. But more than a year and three false hopes later, the possibility seemed to be slipping through our fingers; further and further out of our grasp with every single pink line that appeared on the screen.

I turned, pacing back and forth in the small bathroom. Rose had become more and more distraught each time the results came back negative, convinced that she was the problem. I tried to hide my disappointment as best I could, I didn't want to add to the pressure she was feeling. But I wanted it so badly. It didn't help that it felt as though we were constantly surrounded by success stories. Lissa and Christian had had their first child, a little boy, and she was already pregnant with the next. Sydney and Adrian too were due for the birth of their first child any day now.

The watch beeped loudly throughout the silent room and I spun around to face Roza. She took a shaky breath, peeking down at the sticks nervously while I held my breath.

A heavy sob wracked through the room and my heart shattered in my chest.

_Another negative._

I was beginning to think that Declan's birth had just been a fluke, or that maybe it only worked the one way round – when the female had been restored.

"It's okay, Roza," I consoled, my voice thick with emotion. I stepped forward to comfort her; fighting back my own emotions that were threatening to come crashing to the surface.

"It'll happen for us. We just have to be patient."

She shook her head, her tearstained face looking up to meet mine.

"No, Dimitri," she cried, holding up a stick for me to see.

Two pink lines.

I stared at it in disbelief.

"Are they – are they both?"

She nodded, holding up the other one for me to see.

"Nichego sebe!" I leaned forward and pulled her up into a tight hug, her feet dangling off the floor as I spun her around.

She laughed, wiping the tears out of her eyes and placing her hands on either side of my face as she stared at me lovingly.

"We're having a baby," she marvelled, her voice thick with emotion.

I shook my head in disbelief.

_We're having a baby._

Roza and I were having a baby.

The news didn't even feel real.

"Ya tebya lyublyu," I whispered, placing her down and cradling her face in my hands.

She smiled at me, tears shining in her eyes, as they were in mine.

"I love you more," she promised, leaning forward to rest her head on my chest.

I shook my head, dropping to my knees before her and gently lifting her t-shirt.

"Not possible," I whispered, leaning forward to kiss the skin of her belly softly.

I stared at it in amazement for a long moment, my hand running gently over the hard planes of her stomach.

"It's so crazy to think that our baby is in there," I said in disbelief, planting another loving kiss on her belly. "All I can feel now is abs... They're nice abs though." I added with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes, reaching down to run her fingers through my hair.

"Well don't get used to it," she warned. "Soon I'm going to be _huge_!" She ballooned her cheeks out as if to illustrate her point and I laughed. "You're going to miss these nice abs," she continued. "No nice cute little Moroi bump for me. Mom said she was the size of a house before she had me."

I shook my head, leaning forward to rest my head against her stomach.

"You're going to be beautiful," I said. "The most beautiful woman in the world."

I kept my head cradled against her stomach as I let the news truly sink in.

Roza was pregnant with my child! Never in my wildest dreams had I thought it was possible to feel this happy. It was like our wedding day, times a million. After everything: all the setbacks, all the mistakes, all the pain and the disappointments, we were moving forward. We were going to be a family.

I shook my head in amazement as I leaned back to stare at her face. "I can't believe this is my life," I said, my eyes filling with tears. "I can't believe that I get to be this happy."

She smiled down at me tenderly, leaning forward to wipe a tear as it escaped over my lashes.

"Me neither," she whispered, unable to keep the smile from her face.

The moment was cut off by the sound of my phone ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the caller ID.

"It's Alberta," I said with a sigh. "Class was meant to start ten minutes ago."

She nodded, wiping the tear tracts from under her eyes.

"Just give me a minute to get changed," she said, moving to step around me.

"No," I shook my head, holding her hips still. "I'll go. I'll tell them you couldn't make it today. You stay home and rest."

She looked down at me in amusement, the corners of her lips fighting twitching into a smile.

"What?" I asked, getting to my feet.

"You know, I'm not an invalid yet," she said, raising her eyebrows at me.

I chuckled, leaning down to kiss her stomach one last time before I gently lowered her t-shirt back over her skin.

"Humour me."

* * *

For the first time in my many years as a teacher, I gave my students an early mark.

To say they were surprised was the understatement of the year.

"But Guardian Belikov," one of the students argued. "Trials are only two and a half months away! I thought you said we should be training every minute possible."

"As I said, I have somewhere I need to be," I explained, being as incredibly vague and suspect as I had been this morning when I simply said Rose 'couldn't make it'. "If you're so concerned though, Novice Willis, I will happily put in an extra training session with you next week. 4 o'clock Monday morning."

I fought back a smile at the look of distress on his face as his classmates snickered around him. I'd dolled out more than a few extra sessions as punishment over the years. Word had quickly spread about the brutality of a one on one session with Guardian Belikov.

It had proved to be an effective threat and a good motivator to keep my students' standards from slipping. Honestly, they all just needed to suck it up. Rose managed it almost every morning, and she was years behind in her studies.

I checked my watch as I exited the gym – 9:45. The shops would be shut by now. I'd have to go later this evening when they opened. There had to be so much that I needed to get; I knew there had to be. But I just couldn't think what. My brain was all scattered, it wasn't like I had a wealth of experience in the pregnancy department. Yes, I had nephews and nieces, but I had always been away when my sisters were pregnant. I needed a list or book of some kind.

I stopped in my tracks, altering my path and heading towards the library. When I reached it, I brushed straight past the librarians, hoping to avoid them as I headed straight for the biology section. I trailed my fingers along the spines of the books as I skimmed the titles, eager to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Need any help, Guardian Belikov?"

I turned to find Moira, the librarian, smiling at me warmly, albeit looking a little confused at my presence in the textbook section.

"There's general fiction over there if you're looking for something to read," she said, pointing towards the section of the library that I usually frequented. "We just got in a new Western one, actually," she said excitedly, starting to usher me through.

"Actually, I'm looking for a biology textbook... on reproduction," I said, my mind reeling for an excuse when she looked at me in confusion. "...Trying to win an argument with my wife." I said with a small shrug.

_Trying to win an argument?_

_Christ, Dimitri._

"Oh," she said, staring at me oddly for a moment. "Well, we have this one here."

She reached around me, pulling out a huge, dusty book.

_Reproductive Biology in the Human, Moroi and Dhampir Species_

"Perfect," I said, grabbing it from her and tucking it quickly under my arm. "Thanks."

"Did you want the new Western too?" she asked as I tried to hurry off.

"Um... no," I said, pausing to scan my book out. "Thanks though."

I walked out of the library, my head shaking in exasperation at myself. I could not have been more suspicious if I'd tried. I should have really thought that plan through more before I barged into the library looking for a book on _reproduction _like some kind of weirdo pervert.

At least Roza would get a kick out of the story, I thought to myself with a chuckle.

I returned to the cabin to find Roza curled up on the couch, fast asleep. An old Russian sitcom was blaring through the television. I had been teaching her now that our hours were so much shorter, and she had been trying to keep up her learning through TV and movies. It helped that we were living in Russia for six months a year. She was really getting quite good. She could understand everything my family and I said to her, although she still found the alphabet and constructing longer sentences difficult. And her accent was genuinely terrible. I laughed at the memory of the bewildered look on my family's faces when she'd decided to spend an entire day speaking only in Russian.

I smiled at the sight of her, stepping forward to pull the old throw off the back of the couch and place it gently over her. I lifted her feet, sitting on the other end before I draped them back over my lap and opened up the textbook.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later Roza awoke to find me pouring eagerly through the pages.

"What'cha got there, Comrade?" she mumbled sleepily, sitting up to curl her body against mine. Her eyebrows wrinkled together in confusion. "Is that a biology textbook?"

I nodded sheepishly.

"Not as helpful as I had hoped," I said, closing the book with a thud. "Though still interesting."

"You mean they didn't have a section on 'What to expect when your wife is growing a biologically impossible of Dhampir-Dhampir baby?'" She asked sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, glaring at her good-naturedly.

"No, but I did find out a lot about what's going to happen to your body over the coming months, assuming it's all the same. By the way, you need to eat more vegetables. And I think I need to get you vitamins of some kind – the book didn't go into specifics too much."

She nodded, staring at the book in nervous apprehension.

"You didn't reach the section on 'birth', did you?"

I nodded and she smacked my arm.

"Gross, Dimitri! It's bad enough you're going to have to see it first hand."

"I think it's amazing," I said with a shrug.

"Yeah you're not the one pushing a watermelon out of your vagina," she mumbled, her eyes flicking to the book nervously.

"How much out of ten do I _not _want to look at that section?"

"... Ten," I said, smiling at her softly. "Sorry in advance, I think you might hate me in nine months time."

She groaned, staring down at her perfectly flat stomach.

"Do you want to see what our baby probably looks like right now?" I asked, trying to get her mind off the doom of the birth. We still had eight months to prepare for that.

She nodded, shuffling over to get a better look as I opened the book back up, searching for the page where I'd seen the depictions of foetuses at different gestational ages.

"Oh my god!" Rose shrieked, her hand flying to a page and halting my flicking. "Is _that_ going to happen to my nipples?"

I looked at the page and then looked back at her apologetically.

"I think so, yes."

She stared at me, absolutely horrified for a long moment.

Suddenly, we both burst into laughter.

"Vlad," she cried between fits of laughter. I buried my face in her hair, trying to compose myself.

"It's really not so bad," I reassured her, gaining my composure. "It's just a little..." I glanced back at the page and lost it, a loud snort erupting from my mouth as I tried to hold back my laughter.

Roza sighed, wiping tears from her eyes as she let out a few final giggles.

"For the love of God, Comrade," she said, her hands falling to cover her eyes. "_Please_ change the page."

I nodded, fighting back more laughter as I continued to flick through the book, being careful to avoid the more... _graphic_ sections.

"Here," I said, pointing to the 'one-month' diagram. "I mean we don't really know how far along you are, but it's somewhere around here. We'll have to get a doctors scan soon and see where you're at."

She nodded, leaning forward to study the page closely.

"It's like... a little bean," she said with another giggle. She shook her head, her gaze flitting between the page and her belly in amazement. "Our little bean."

I smiled, my hand reaching out to caress her stomach gently.

"Our little bean."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed! **

**Stay safe and don't forget to review xxxx**


	33. Chapter 33

**Hello again! **

**Hope you all had a wonderful Easter and are staying safe. Here is a little Easter present from me :)**

* * *

**RPOV**

One Week Later

"Sorry," Lissa apologised, pushing her hair out of her face haphazardly as she returned to the dinner table. "It's been a nightmare trying to get her into some sort of sleep schedule."

"That's alright," Dimitri replied, taking a sip of wine. "We don't mind the interruption. She's very cute."

"She's an angel," Lissa replied with a dreamy smile.

"She's a handful," Christian called out as he shut the door to the nursery gently behind him and entered the dining room. "There's only so many times a man can sing 'twinkle twinkle little star' before he starts going round the twist."

Lissa rolled her eyes, jabbing him playfully as he took his seat next to her.

"That little girl has you wrapped around her tiny fingers," she teased. "You'd never _stop _singing if you thought it would make her happy."

We all laughed and Christian shook his head, denying it good-naturedly. But it was no use; we'd all seen him with little Rhea. He was completely and utterly smitten.

"Now," Lissa said, lifting her glass up to salute us. "Enough baby talk. We're so happy you two could make it to Court this weekend." We clinked our glasses together as Lissa toasted, "To good company."

"We're happy to be here," I replied, taking a sip of water.

"What's the occasion?" Christian asked, his eyes flitting between Lissa's water glass and mine knowingly.

He was _so_ on to us.

"Do we need an occasion to visit friends?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him cheekily.

"Of course not," Lissa replied, "You both are welcome any time. We love having you over to visit so often."

"And we love visiting," I told her with a warm smile. "Your guestroom, with its unlimited channels and a thousand thread count sheets, calls to me very often."

Lissa rolled her eyes. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, and that you said your best friend is the _only _reason you visit."

"Course," I replied with a wink and she laughed.

"We do have some news though," Dimitri interjected, moving us back to the news before the conversation could get away from us. It was probably wise, if left unchecked, Lissa and I could be on to a conversation on just about anything within thirty seconds.

Lissa dropped her water glass on the table with a thud as she glanced between the two of us excitedly; her green eyes alight with enthusiasm.

"No!" she exclaimed, "Don't tell me..."

"I'm pregnant."

Lissa let out a loud shriek, her hand flying over her mouth.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes as she stared at me in amazement.

"Vlad, Liss!" Christian hissed, "You're going to wake the baby!"

Lissa silenced him with a glare and he rolled his eyes before turning to us both.

"Congratulations, guys," he said, giving us a big smile.

"That's better," Lissa teased before she rushed around the table, pulling me into a tight embrace while Christian did the same for Dimitri.

"Congratulations," Lissa whispered into my hair before she pulled back to look at me. She studied me for a long moment, her gaze flicking between my face and stomach.

"When did you find out? How far along are you?" she asked in a flurry.

"Last week, and I don't know," I replied, laughing as Lissa continued to study my stomach with hawk-like intensity.

"Have you had any morning sickness?"

"A little," I replied with a nervous smile. "That's why I took the test."

"You're probably about six weeks or so then, I'd say," Lissa said, lifting her gaze to beam at me. "I can't believe it! You're pregnant!"

"I know," I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "I still can't wrap my head around it, and I've had a week to let the news sink in."

"Ohmygosh!" she exclaimed, pulling me into another hug. "I wonder if it's a little girl!" she squealed into my hair as she jostled me up and down. "Imagine if we both had girls around the same age! They could be best friends, just like us!"

I laughed, returning her hug tightly. "They'll be best friends either way," I promised. "They'll spend a lot of time growing up together."

She pulled back to grin at me, tears pouring down her face. "You're right. Now to the practical side of things," she said, wiping the tears from under her eyes. "How is everything going? Have you been taking your vitamins?"

"Dimitri got me some prenatal ones," I reassured her. "He had to drive forever in the middle of the night but he read somewhere that it was essential," I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure we could have lasted the few days before we got here, but there's no talking him down when it comes to project baby."

Lissa chuckled. "He's just excited. It's sweet."

I suppressed another eye roll, moving on from _that _topic as I added, "We were hoping to see a doctor about the rest of what I might need while we're here at Court."

She nodded, her gaze turning thoughtful. "Prenatal is a good start, probably folate, iodine and iron too. But the doctor will be able to tell you all that. Plus you'll need to increase your fruit and vegetable intake pronto."

"Oh Dimitri's on that too, don't you worry," I said dryly. "Two days ago he actually _swatted _a doughnut out of my hand," I complained. "Swatted!"

"He didn't!" Lissa chortled.

"He's driving me crazy," I grumbled, glaring at him good-naturedly from where he stood, pouring over a book called 'Dad's Guide to the First Year' with Christian. "But I can admit in hindsight that it is funny how bad his obsessing over my diet looks out of context," I added with a chuckle. "You should have seen the death glare he got from Alberta! I thought she was going to swat _him_."

Lissa burst into a fit of giggles, shaking her head in amusement.

"So other than seeing the doctor, is there anything else you need while you're here?" she asked after a moment, getting straight back to business.

I shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea what I need. If you have any advice, I'm all ears."

"I have plenty of books you can borrow," she said, guiding me towards the library.

I shook my head in disbelief when we entered the room to find three giant shelves _filled _with pregnancy and baby books.

"Vlad, Liss!"

Lissa laughed lightly, "It's a bit much, isn't it?" she asked sheepishly. Her tone turned sad as she added, "It's just that neither of us has anyone to turn to really... for guidance," she gestured to the rows of books with a sad smile, "So we read. _A lot_."

"I'm sorry you had to learn it all like this," I said, grabbing her hand in mine and squeezing it lightly. "But they would be so proud."

She nodded, her eyes turning glassy. "Thanks, Rose."

We were silent for a long moment, Lissa's eyes far off into the distance before she shook her head and looked back to smile at me.

"Right, so where do we start?" she asked, grabbing a couple of books from the shelf and dragged me back to the dining room with the others.

"Right, guys!" she announced, slapping the books onto the table. "Dinner time. Christian, we can teach Rose and Dimitri 'Early Term Pregnancy 101' while we eat. I'm famished."

We all nodded, taking our seat and digging into the beautiful roast. Lissa had kindly made enough to satisfy even mine and Dimitri's appetites; which wasn't easy to do, I had been _especially _hungry lately.

"Rose and I were just discussing what else you guys need while you're back at Court," Lissa began between delicate chews.

"I definitely wanted to get some books," Dimitri said. "And then see what we need from there."

Lissa nodded, indicating with her fork towards the books on the table. "You can have these, they were really a lifesaver. And they have a Dhampir section too, though I imagine it's all pretty much the same."

We both gave our thanks before Lissa continued her advice, counting it off her fingers.

"You should definitely be careful about the cleaning products you're using. I would throw out anything harsh and get new, more natural products. You don't want Rose inhaling anything like that." Dimitri nodded, pulling out a neatly folded piece of paper and pen. I leaned over to read the _Baby Tips _on the top and snickered. _How long had he been carrying_ that_ around?_ "It sounds like you're already pretty on top of the diet," Lissa continued, "and it's good that you've started on the prenatal vitamins already – my doctor told me those were really important. What else..." She thrummed her fingernails on the mahogany table for a long moment before her hand slapped it with a thud. "Ooh!" she squealed. "We should get you some good maternity bras while you're here!" she said, grinning at me. "There's a _great_ shop here at Court. They're the _best_ – sooo comfortable. And you'll probably go up a size or two soon, so it's best to be prepared."

"Liss," Christian groaned. "We're eating."

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she said with a shrug. "But you didn't seem to mind that part so much when _I _was pregnant."

Christian's cheeks flushed red and I burst out laughing. Christian turned to glare at me, which only made me laugh even more.

"Vlad!" Lissa exclaimed suddenly, pulling me out of my laughter. "What are you going to do about work?"

"Keep working until I show," I said with an easy shrug. "And then figure out how the hell to hide this or explain it to everyone," I added with a chuckle.

"What?" Lissa exclaimed, her voice going up an octave. "Is that safe? Surely you really shouldn't be lifting anything heavy or doing any sparring!"

I rolled my eyes as I turned to find Dimitri smiling at me smugly.

"Oh, Dimitri has seen to that," I grumbled, shaking my head when he continued to smile at me sweetly. "I get to the gym in the morning to find all the equipment mysteriously set up for the students. And he won't demonstrate on me anymore. Even the students are starting to think it's strange. I'm just standing around like a lemon!"

"Pregnant women shouldn't strain themselves," he said simply and I groaned.

"It's a wonder you let me cut up my food," I scoffed. "Do you think this lamb is a bit too strenuous?"

Dimitri rolled his eyes, ignoring me.

"You know, I'm barely pregnant," I continued when he didn't reply. "Most women don't even know that they are at this stage. They could be off like... horse riding, or scuba diving or something. Or smoking like a chimney and drinking like a fish!"

"You're not drinking or smoking," he replied, shaking his head incredulously.

"That's not what I meant," I huffed. "I just meant that I think I can handle setting up some sandbags."

"We'll see what the doctor says," he replied, smiling at me smugly. We had been having this argument all week. Vlad, I couldn't wait to get to the doctor so operation 'Wrap Rose in Bubble Wrap' could come to an end. "Speaking of doctors," Dimitri continued, turning to Lissa and Christian. "There is the issue of confidentiality for us. We would prefer to keep the parentage a secret, as Sydney and Adrian have done with Declan. We want our child to live a normal life, not be some lab experiment."

Lissa and Christian nodded. "Yes, this stays between us," Christian agreed. "As for the doctor, the Royal doctor is very discreet. We'd be happy to front the costs of that for you."

"We can't accept –" I began before Lissa cut me off with a raised hand.

"Consider it an early baby shower gift," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Dimitri said. "That's very kind."

"Of course," Lissa replied, smiling at us warmly. "I do ask that you send samples to Sonya and the Spirit team from both of you though; and that you let her examine the child once a year as she does with Declan. Declan's blood is the closest we've been able to come to isolating a cure, it would always be helpful to have more information."

"Of course," I promised.

"You should start to show in another two months or so," Lissa pointed out. "That in itself will present problems with confidentiality, considering what a public couple you two are."

Dimitri nodded, glancing at me anxiously. "Yes, we thought about that. We were hoping you might have some way to excuse our absence over a period of a year or so. We were thinking perhaps some sort of mission? One that is top secret and confidential so no one asks any questions. From there we can stay with my family in Russia with relative privacy and anonymity. To the outside observer Roza would be another pregnant Dhampir in a town of..." he trailed off, his eyes downcast as he shook his head slowly. "And I'll just be a retired Guardian who has fallen in love and promised to help her raise the baby."

I reached under the table to take his hand in mine, squeezing it tightly. My heart ached for him. As crazy as he was driving me during this whole process, he deserved to be as excited as he was. This was _our _baby – our little miracle. And he deserved not to have to hide the fact that this baby was his. I knew that even the thought of doing so pained him.

"We'll know she's yours," I whispered, stroking his hand gently with my thumb.

"She?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me in question.

"I don't know," I replied sheepishly. "Just a feeling."

* * *

"Rosemary Belikov!" a slim, middle-aged Moroi called from the open door of an examination room.

Dimitri and I stood; ignoring the sideways glances we received from the other Moroi that frequented the waiting room. This was a doctor's office for high-end Moroir elite; undoubtedly we were the first Dhampir patients they had ever had.

"Doctor Ivanov," he introduced as we approached him, reaching out to shake our hands.

"Rose," I corrected him with a smile.

"And you must be Rose's husband?" he asked, as he shut and locked the door behind us.

"Yes," I replied for him when Dimitri made no move to answer. "This is my husband Dimitri."

Doctor Ivanov smiled at us warmly for a moment as we took our seats across from him. I grabbed Dimitri's hand from where it sat, fidgeting in his lap. The man needed to get a grip. He'd been a basket case all morning. I caught his eye, raising an eyebrow at him.

_What's wrong?_

He shook his head, glancing back towards the doctor. Now that his hand was steadied in mine he resumed his shaking, only this time with his knee. The jittering bounced our entwined hands up and down and the Doctor stared at them for a moment.

"I suppose you're eager to see your baby," he said with a chuckle. "I'll have to admit, I'm rather excited to see it myself. It really is such a miracle."

He stood, motioning for me to stand and patting the gurney next to a white machine.

"Alright, Rose," he said with a smile, "I'll just get you to lift your t-shirt up to your chest and unbutton your jeans and pull them down your hips."

I nodded, my teeth gnawing at my lips nervously as I pulled everything into place.

"Can I..." we both turned to see Dimitri hovering nervously by the gurney. "Can I be near? Is that okay?"

"Of course, Dimitri," Doctor Ivanov replied and I smiled nervously, reaching out my hand to take his. He gripped it tightly, his lips coming down to brush my forehead.

"I love you, Roza," he whispered, his grip tightening in mine. "No matter what."

I nodded, my throat too thick with tears to respond. The full weight of the nerves Dimitri had obviously been battling all morning settled over me as I took a shaking breath. What if this was all a false alarm? What if I wasn't pregnant? What if I couldn't be?

"This is going to be a little cold," Doctor Ivanov warned, pulling me out of my spiral.

I nodded, gripping Dimitri's hand tighter in mine as he squeezed the gel onto my stomach and pushed a funny little machine over it.

I held my breath for an agonising moment, my fingernails digging sharply into Dimitri's hand before we heard it. The little thrum of a heartbeat.

"Was that a..." I gasped.

"Yes," he replied, smiling at me warmly as he manoeuvred the machine around. "Do you see that little spot there?" he asked, pointing to a small little blur on the screen. "That's your baby. And it has a heartbeat. From the size, I'd say you're looking at about... seven weeks. And everything looks nice and healthy."

I stared, my mouth hanging open as tears blurred my vision. _Our baby. _

For the first time, I allowed the idea to truly hit home for me. I was pregnant. We were having a baby – our own little miracle.

"Our bean has a heartbeat," I finally managed to whisper, turning to stare at Dimitri in wonder. But he wasn't paying me any mind; his eyes were glued to the screen, tears streaming down his face as he watched the little ball on the screen in amazement.

"Oh my..." Doctor Ivanov said, turning the machine in his hand as he squinted at the screen.

Both of our heads immediately snapped up.

"What is it?" Dimitri demanded, his hand falling protectively to the space above the machine. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he reassured, staring at the screen a moment longer. He finally turned to smile at us. "It seems... you're having twins."

"Twins?" I gasped out in shock. We had been terrified of the fact that there might not be _one _baby in there and now he was telling us there were _two_?

"Yes," he replied, pointing at the screen. "It's hard to see, but there are definitely two little ones in there." He grinned at us. "Congratulations!"

I stared in wonder at the small but distinct second little bean-like blur wobbling around on the screen.

"Udivitel'no!" Dimitri exclaimed, tears pouring down his face as he showered my belly in kisses.

"Dimitri!" I exclaimed, giggling around his kisses. "You're eating so much gel right now!"

"I don't care," he said, reaching up to plant a wet, cold kiss on my lips. I laughed, wiping the gel off of both our mouths as he leaned down to kiss me again. "We're having twins," he whispered, reaching up to cradle my face in his palms.

We stayed like that for a perfect immeasurable moment, locked in our little bubble of happiness. I couldn't believe it. We were going to be a family. Not just a child, but _children_. My heart swelled with happiness at the realisation that we really were going to have it all; that Dimitri hadn't had to give anything up to be with me. I could give him his biggest dream of all, he was going to be a father.

Dimitri's face suddenly turned serious when he added. "Now you're definitely not lifting anything."

I rolled my eyes at him, slapping at his arm playfully for ruining the moment.

I turned to Doctor Ivanov, who was fiddling around with his computer. "Doc?" I asked, "You're not busy doing anything medically for our babies right now are you?"

He chuckled, shaking his head as he replied. "I was just finishing up getting those images saved and sent to you. What can I help you with?"

"We have a debate to settle regarding exercise," I replied as he wiped the jelly off my belly with a paper towel and motioned for me to sit up. I pulled my jeans and t-shirt into place before I sat up to face him. "You see, we both work in a school training Dhampir and Moroi in combat. I'm also used to a daily exercise routine. I know I'll eventually have to give it up, but what exactly is safe for me to do at the moment?"

"Well..." he said, taking a seat before us and lifting his glasses. "For my Moroi patients I definitely don't recommend any exercise, but that is because they aren't accustomed to exercise already. For someone of your fitness level, I'd say that it's perfectly safe for you to continue to train. In fact, it will be better for you at birth if you have retained some strength in your muscles. The healthier the mother, the healthier the baby... or babies, in this case," he added with a smile.

I grinned at Dimitri and he shook his head in exasperation.

"Surely it's dangerous though, Doctor," he replied insistently. "We really don't want to be taking _any_ risks."

Doctor Ivanov nodded reassuringly. "No, of course not," he replied. "We want to take every precaution. But, as a general rule, I would say that exercise, as long as it is not in the extremes, will actually be of benefit to Rose and the babies."

"What does that mean, 'not in the extremes'?"

"Well, I'd say reduce the weights you'd usually lift by about 20% or so, this may need to continue to decrease throughout the pregnancy. Running is fine also, but just don't overexert yourself too much. Basically a slightly lighter version of what you're used to is fine, just make sure to stay hydrated and listen to your body. If something doesn't feel right, stop. Take note the further along you get how your body is feeling, but with someone as physically fit as Rose prior to pregnancy, I don't see any issues with continuing to be active. In fact, it will be good to keep the muscles strong. I would recommend adding in some yoga and Pilates as lower impact exercises though. Just follow the basic rule that you shouldn't be pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion in a session."

"And what about sparring?" Dimitri asked, he had pulled out his piece of paper and was scribbling furiously while I watched him smugly.

"Sparring of a serious kind, I would say is a no," he replied thoughtfully. "But if it's just for demonstrations at a slower speed that should be fine. Basically we just want to avoid any hits, knocks or falls, but other than that it should be completely fine to continue on with life at a relatively normal pace. Obviously we will continue to evaluate that as we go, but for now, everything is looking excellent. Congratulations to you both!"

Dimitri nodded, scribbling everything down furiously. I cleared my throat and he put his pen down, turning to look at me guiltily.

"Sorry, Roza," he apologised, giving me an embarrassed smile. "I may have gone a little... overboard."

I held back a smile as I arched my eyebrow at him.

"Ask the Doctor if I can eat a doughnut, Dimitri," I asked in my most menacing voice.

He turned back to the doctor sheepishly and Doctor Ivanov laughed.

"Don't worry, Dimitri," he promised. "As long as it's a part of a balanced diet, Rose can eat as many doughnuts as she likes."

_Yes!_

* * *

**I hope that you all enjoyed that little moment. What do you think of the pregnancy so far? There are only about 2 or so chapters left now :( Is there anything you guys are dying to see before I wrap this up? **

**Don't forget to review! **


	34. Chapter 34

**Hello :) I hope you're all staying safe!**

**Here is the next chapter. It's so sad we're reaching the end! **

**Enjoy xx**

* * *

One Month Later

**RPOV**

"You're going, like, two thousand miles under the speed limit," I complained, glaring at my husband.

"Kilometres," Dimitri corrected with a little smirk. "And only fifteen under."

"Whatever," I grumbled. "We're still not going to get there for another ten hours at this rate."

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "Stop being so dramatic, we're only another hour or so away."

I shook my head in annoyance but didn't bother arguing any further. We definitely could have been there already if Dimitri hadn't taken it upon himself to break the new world's slowest driver record, but I'd been arguing with him about it for hours and he refused to budge. There was no point in arguing anymore. He'd done exactly the same thing on the way to the airport in the States, and although he refused to admit it, I knew it was because of my 'delicate state'.

I stared down at the small but distinct little bump that poked out from beneath my sweater and my hand instinctively fell over it. I had started to show much earlier than anticipated, probably because we were expecting twins. Shortly after my ultrasound, the bump had appeared. I'd managed to hide it with bigger t-shirts for a while, but there was no hiding it now. So we'd made the arrangements with Lissa and headed for Russia early. We hated leaving our students so close to trials, but there wasn't anything that could be done. I truly _looked _pregnant now, which was _so _weird. I spent most nights standing in front of the mirror, studying my naked body in amazement. Growing up, I had never expected to have children; I thought I would be Lissa's guardian for life, helping to raise her children in a strictly 'cool aunt' capacity.

If I was fascinated by my bump, then Dimitri was obsessed with it. He spent his nights tucked against my belly, cooing to it in Russian. I smiled at the memory and tried to remind myself that, yes, he was driving slower than a ninety-year-old woman, but it was only because he was excited and he didn't want anything to go wrong.

I reached out and squeezed his leg, smiling at him sweetly.

"I love you," I reminded him.

He chuckled, "Feeling guilty for your hours of tantrum-throwing over the speed I'm driving?"

I rolled my eyes but leaned over to kiss his cheek. I _had_ been a bit crabby lately, but it's not like I didn't have a good excuse! I was hormonal. And _hungry_.

He smiled, keeping his eyes firmly planted on the road as I smiled up at him, watching his handsome face in the afternoon light. So much love flowed through me at that moment as I watched him drive through the countryside on the way to his hometown. And I was so excited to see the Belikovs again!

My little bubble of happiness burst when we were overtaken for the five hundredth time, the car blaring its horn at us as it passed.

"Oh, for Vlad's sake, Comrade! Just go the damn speed limit!"

* * *

We pulled up to the house and I sighed in relief.

"They're going to think we died on the roads," I grumbled, checking my watch. "We're _hours _late."

"Better to arrive late than never," Dimitri replied cheerfully, exiting the car to grab our luggage. I took mine from him, just to make a point, as we headed up towards the house.

I knocked, turning to grin at Dimitri at the sounds of excited squeals inside the house.

The door opened to show every Belikov squished as close as they could get to the doorframe, each pair of eyes straining eagerly towards my stomach.

"You're here!" Olena cried, ushering us inside and then pulling me into a tight embrace. "Let me look at you," she exclaimed, pulling back to stare at my bump. Her hands fell to my swollen stomach and tears welled up in her eyes. "Udivitel'nyy," she whispered, her gaze meeting mine in astonishment. "I know you two weren't lying to me," she added with a chuckle. "But it really is something seeing it for yourself."

I nodded, tears in my own eyes as my mother in law stroked my stomach tenderly.

"Mama, are you going to say hello to your son?" Dimitri asked cheekily, watching his mother stroking my belly with a loving smile on his face.

"Yes, the rest of us would like to greet Roza," Vika replied impatiently, gently nudging her mother out of the way.

"Sorry," Olena said with a laugh, rushing towards Dimitri.

"Roza!" Vika cried when I was free, pulling me into a hug, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too," I said with a smile.

Sonya and Karo were next, pulling me into hugs and rubbing my belly in amazement.

"You're so much bigger than I expected you to be," Karo commented. "You're eleven weeks, right?"

"Yeah," I replied with a shrug, "I think it's because I'm having twins."

Yeva appeared behind her, smirking at me as she commented, "She's going to be the size of this house."

I glared at her.

Sonjya scolded her grandmother lightly in Russian, telling her to be nice before she turned to smile at me apologetically. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand.

"Nice to see you too, Yeva."

She nodded, still smirking at me before she turned and waddled off into the kitchen.

"We were expecting you _ages _ago," Vika complained. "Did your flight get delayed?"

"No," I replied, rolling my eyes and glancing towards her brother. "He wouldn't drive faster than a snail's pace the whole way."

Karo and Sonjia both laughed, shaking their heads.

"I'm not surprised," Karo said in amusement.

Vika chuckled, watching as her brother bent to pick up his nieces. "He always could be a little... protective. You saw how scared I was to introduce him to Artyom."

I nodded, fighting back a laugh at the memory for Vika's sake. _Poor Artyom_.

"Do you need anything, dear?" Olena asked, entering into the circle of sisters and resting her arm around my shoulder protectively.

"No, thank you, Olena," I replied, smiling at her warmly. "I actually was thinking I might go for a quick run. If you wouldn't mind. I'd like to stretch out my legs a little. It was a very long flight and drive."

"Of course dear," she said with a smile. "Are you hungry? I could have something ready for you when you get back."

"You can assume the answer to that is always yes at the moment, I'm afraid," I replied with a laugh. "My appetite has been out of control."

"The girls were the same," she said with a knowing smile. "You go along, I'll get onto making something."

I looked over towards Dimitri to find him still playing with Zoya and Katya.

I smiled, slipping out of the room while Dimitri was still distracted. I hurried up the stairs to change, throwing on my workout gear and tiptoeing back towards the front door.

"Wait, Roza!" Dimitri called just as I was reached the door. I flinched, _so close._ "I'll come with you," he offered, smiling at me as he placed Zoya down.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Yes, Dimitri had taken the doctor's advice into account and stopped spazzing out every time I lifted a finger, but now he'd taken up a new hobby: _hovering. _

It had started off innocently enough; spotting me at the gym, accompanying me on my runs, but over time it had progressively become more insane. I couldn't even shower without Dimitri's mammoth frame hovering over me, tensed and ready to catch me just in case I slipped.

"No, no," I said with a tight smile. "That's okay, you spend time with your family."

"But you –"

"I won't be long," I interrupted. "I just want to shake my legs off a bit after the flight and drive."

"But it's not safe," he insisted and I huffed in annoyance.

"How in the world is it not safe?" I asked incredulously.

"Well..." he began, clearly clutching at straws. "You don't know the roads too well here to start with... and the paths can be very uneven; you could fall or twist your ankle," I rolled my eyes. Oh, he was on a _roll _now. "And then how would you get help? You could be stuck out in the woods come nightfall!"

I stared at him for a long moment.

"Dimka," Vika interjected, shaking her head at her brother, "She's pregnant, not an invalid."

"Thank you!" I said, smiling smugly at my sister in law. I turned back to Dimitri as I argued; "I've run around here alone like literally a hundred times and never gotten lost. And when have I ever tripped running? I'm a freaking Dhampir." My gaze fell to the kids lining the room, "Sorry," I added, glancing at them guiltily. "Bad word."

The family was watching, their eyes darting between the two of us like a tennis match. Yeva snickered, grinning at me before she waddled off.

_Oh, you little..._

"It's still best if I come," Dimitri repeated, ignoring my protests and heading towards the stairs to get changed; which was _so _annoying.

I groaned, not even making an effort to disguise my annoyance as the remaining women stared at me sympathetically.

"So how are things going?" Olena asked after she heard the sound of the door to our bedroom closing. Her gaze was sympathetic, but I could tell she was trying not to look amused.

I sighed. "I know it's silly, but he's been crowding me. I can't even go to the bathroom without him just... _there_. I just want twenty minutes to myself, you know?"

She nodded, "Of course, dear. You run along now and I'll go talk to him."

I sighed in relief, "Really?" I asked. "I don't want him to be upset. I just... need a minute."

"Of course," she replied. "It's been a long day for both of you. You run along and I'll talk with him. We'll see you soon."

"Thank you," I sighed in relief, smiling at my mother in law warmly.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath, stretching my legs out for a moment before I set off in the direction of the woods.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, I returned to the Belikov residence feeling very refreshed. I opened the front door to find my husband on the couch, reading a book. He glanced up as I entered, smiling in relief.

"You were gone for a while," he said. "I was worried –" Vika cleared her throat and he corrected himself. "How was your run?"

"Great," I said with a smile, leaning down to kiss him gently. "It was so great to get some fresh air."

"I'm glad," he said with a small smile.

Vika cleared her throat again and he glared at her annoyance before he sighed. "I think I owe you another apology, Roza," he added timidly. "I promise, if you need space in the future, I will respect that."

"Thank you," I said, leaning down to kiss him again. "I love you," I added. I stood back up and stretched my back out with a groan. "Well, I'm going to go shower," I said.

Dimitri moved to stand up and then caught himself, lowering himself back onto the couch and picking up his book again.

"And then I'll be down to sample whatever that _heavenly _smell is coming out of the kitchen!" I added.

Vika laughed, "Mama's going all out with your favourites," she said. "You know how she likes to spoil you."

I grinned, "Can't wait."

I headed towards the stairs. As I reached the first step I paused, turning back to watch my husband. He was making an effort to go back to reading his book and I smiled, shaking my head.

"You coming, Comrade?" I asked, winking at him as his dark eyes rose to meet mine.

"Gross!" Vika complained and Dimitri smiled, rushing towards the staircase to follow me.

We had a nice long shower, engaging in the kind of hovering that I didn't mind. Not one bit.

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**Only a couple more chapters left :( **

**I'm finding it so hard to write the ending! It's very sad to be leaving this story behind and I want it to be perfect.**

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	35. Chapter 35

**Hello! **

**Hope everyone is staying sane! (I'm not haha)**

**Enjoy xx**

* * *

**DPOV**

6 months later 

I smiled over at mama as she sang softly to herself. We were both in the kitchen baking black bread for Roza, but mama had been off in her own world all morning.

She caught me watching her and flushed slightly under my gaze. "What are you making fun of your poor mama for, Dimka?" she asked with a light laugh.

"I'm not making fun," I promised with a chuckle as I continued kneading the dough in my hands. "You look happy," I observed after a moment's silence.

She grinned, tears in her eyes as her gaze met mine. "How could I not be?" she asked. "Look at how beautifully all my children have turned out. I am a lucky woman, to be surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren."

I smiled, reaching out with a doughy hand to hold hers. "And two more on the way any day now," I reminded her. My stomach knotted at the thought. We were so close; soon, I was going to be a father.

Her smile grew before he eyes flickered towards the living room and her voice lowered. "How is Roza?" she asked softly.

I cautiously peeked around the corner, careful not to be caught. Roza hated my constant checking on her and mama smiled in amusement at my caution.

I peered into the living room to find Roza lying on the couch, her belly protruding heavily even under the thickness of the blankets covering her. She was flicking through the television channels in irritation before she huffed, turning the TV off and reaching for the pile of books and magazines I had left by her side.

I came back into the kitchen and shook my head in amusement. "She's still sulking," I told mama and she chuckled.

"We shouldn't laugh," she added and I nodded, laughing softly despite myself. "She was never going to do well on bed rest, was she?" mama commented wryly.

I shook my head, my smile growing at the memory of Roza's face when the doctor had told her that she had to take it easy and lay down until the babies came. With her size, she was finding it increasingly difficult to be mobile anyway, but up until that point she had swatted away any assistance as she waddled around the house. But after that news, she had to rely on me to carry her up and down between our bed and the couch, depending on where in the house I was. She was miserable about the arrangement and she complained the whole way about how fat and swollen and uncomfortable she was. The sitting around was well and truly driving her crazy. To be fair, she was _very _big. It couldn't be comfortable.

As the days had gone on, Roza had grown even crankier. Her mood was definitely not helped by babushka's constant comments about how she was only going to get bigger. It also didn't help that she was always trying to shove strange herbal tea concoctions down her throat. I'd actually run into the bedroom once at the sound of Roza yelling to find that babushka had swapped out the drink I'd made for her. I chuckled at the memory. At that point, mama had decided to separate the two of them.

Mama and I placed the black bread in the oven and I went out to the living room to visit Roza. I lifted her blanket wrapped feet and sat down, placing them back over my lap.

"How are you doing?" I asked, leaning forward to tenderly stroke her belly over the bundle of blankets.

"Great," she snapped, slapping the magazine down to glare at me. "My back hurts, I'm exhausted and I have the heartburn from hell, I need to pee constantly because these babies are sitting on my bladder. And to top it all off, I'm bored out of my mind because I'm not allowed to do anything!"

"What can I do?" I asked, rubbing her swollen feet through the blankets.

"Nothing," she said with a huff. She closed her eyes and let out a soft groan as I continued rubbing her feet. "Sorry," she said after a moment, her eyes falling open to meet mine. "I know it's not your fault."

"It kind of is," I said with a wry smile and she chuckled.

"Yeah, it is," she said with a cheeky smile. "But I volunteered, so I'll let you off the hook."

I nodded, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. It was hard manoeuvring around her bump, but I managed to come at it from the side a little.

"I can't help but think that women drew the short straw on this whole baby-making business," she said. Her eyes fell closed and she grimaced, shifting uncomfortably in what I now knew as the telltale sign that the babies were kicking around in there. I reached out my hand instinctively, eager to feel there incredibly strong little kicks. I shook my head slightly in wonder at the feeling of the small nudges beneath my fingers. It never ceased to amaze me. "I mean," she continued as I moved to nuzzle against her belly, "you just get laid, and then I have to do the rest. God is definitely not a woman, Ariana Grande."

I chuckled, my chin resting on her belly as I looked up to face her. "You're not wrong," I replied. "Although I don't know who that person is."

She rolled her eyes. "Either way, it's bullshit."

"Will it help if I tell you I think you're amazing?" I asked, smiling up at her adoringly.

She smiled slightly, her hand coming up to run through my hair. "Maybe," she said with a cheeky smile. "I don't know, I guess you'll have to try it out."

I grinned, turning my face to press a kiss to her belly. "You, Roza Belikova," I said, peppering another kiss, "are an incredible woman." I moved up her body, showering every inch of her with kisses. "You amaze me every day," she giggled as I continued upwards, my body coming to rest to the side of her on the couch. "And I love you and your belly even more than I ever thought was possible." I kissed each of her eyelids lightly. "I love that you are growing a little piece of us," my hands moved to stroke her belly lovingly, "right here in this beautiful belly." I pressed a kiss to her lips, "And," I continued, pressing another kiss to her smiling lips, "I think you are the sexiest pregnant woman I have ever laid eyes on."

She giggled, pulling my face to hers by my hair.

"Gross," Vika complained and my head snapped up.

"Privacy, Vika," I snapped in Russian.

She rolled her eyes. "You're in the living room."

I blushed, shifting my body up on the couch until I was sitting upright again with Roza's feet draped over my lap.

"Get back here," Roza pouted. "You were taking my mind off the–" she winced again and my hands fluttered helplessly over her.

"You should give her a bath," Vika suggested, gazing at Roza in concern. "Karo always said a hot bath worked wondered in the last few weeks."

I nodded, looking over towards Roza. "How does that sound?" I asked her, my hand reaching out to stroke her cheek gently.

She nodded, her eyes closed as she shifted around on the couch in discomfort.

"I'll go run one and then come and get you," I told her as I stood and tucked her feet back onto the couch gently. "Don't go anywhere," I added wryly and she rolled her eyes.

I chuckled as I made my way towards the bathroom and turned the bath on, carefully checking its temperature before I put the plug in and waited for it to start filling. I pulled out some ylang-ylang oil drops babushka had given me and added a few to the bathwater as I waited. They were supposed to have a relaxing effect, so hopefully it would help our little ones relax in there.

When it was close to done I left to go collect Roza. She was still in the living room, chatting idly with Vika.

"Ready?" I asked and she nodded.

I bent down to pick her up, which really was not such an easy feat now as it once was. I grunted, pulling her closer to my chest as I tried to wrap my arms securely around her.

"Bit heavy?" I looked over to see babushka standing in the doorway, eying us in amusement as I shifted Roza in my arms.

Roza shot her a glare as Vika and I held back laughter. Roza's size had definitely been a sore spot. I quickly moved towards the bathroom before things could escalate.

"Honestly," Roza huffed as I carried her away. "When I'm back in fighting shape I'm teaching that old witch a lesson."

I bit back my laugh, trying my hardest to look down at her with a straight face. "Uh-huh," I answered after a moment.

She glared at me. "Don't laugh," she snapped. "I mean it."

I shook my head in amusement as I placed her down and moved to turn the bath taps off. "Are you ever going to try one of her teas?" I asked as I moved to close and lock the door. "She said it might help make it go faster."

"Have you smelt that stuff?" she asked incredulously. "She's trying to poison me!" I met her gaze in amusement and she huffed. "And I swear, Dimitri, there was an honest to God twig in that tea the last time she tried to give it to me."

I chortled. "No there wasn't," I said as I gently started to undress her.

"The woman's messing with me," she complained, her voice coming out muffled as I lifted her sweater over her head. "She just wants to see me drink some crazy shit and laugh about it later."

"The paranoia," I said with a chuckle. "She's not out to get you, Roza."

"Yes she is," she replied stubbornly. "I can see it in her eyes. She's lulled you all into a false sense of security, but she's out for revenge."

I bent to pull her sweatpants down and stifled a laugh. "Revenge?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes!" she replied, reaching out to steady herself as she lifted one leg, and then the other. "You didn't see the look in her eyes last time I questioned those 'visions' of hers. She's been waiting for the perfect moment to pounce!"

I bit my lip as I stared at her, fighting a smile.

She glared at me, grumbling under her breath as I reached out and carefully helped her step into the bath.

"How's the temperature?" I asked.

"Fine," she replied curtly and I shook my head.

"Sorry, Roza," I replied, fighting a smile. "You're right, she probably is messing with you."

She harrumphed, but her annoyance quickly turned into a groan as she lowered herself slowly into the water.

I studied her body in amazement as the water swished around her. I reached out instinctively, my hand falling on her bump under the water.

She looked at me in amusement. "Do you ever go more than two seconds without touching it?"

I winked at her. "Like I said, it is a beautiful belly."

She smiled at me sweetly despite her annoyance.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her after a minute.

"Okay," she said with a sigh. "The bath is helping, but I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to be comfortable again until they're out." She grimaced. "And even then, there's a whole lotta water that needs to go under the bridge until _that _can happen."

"Are you nervous about the birth?"

"_Am I nervous about the birth?_" she asked in a mocking tone.

I smiled, "Probably a silly question."

"I used to be very into the fact that you're this big manly god before," she said with an eye roll. "But now, with your spawn growing to unprecedented sizes inside my belly, I'm suddenly not so sure."

I rubbed her belly soothingly as my eyes raked over her appreciatively. "Will it help if I say you look like some sort of fertility goddess?" I asked with a smile. "Like you're body was made for this." My gaze rested on her breasts and she laughed.

"Just when you thought they couldn't get any bigger," she joked.

I shook my head, staring at them in disbelief. "They are definitely... sizeable," I said with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes. "Just what every woman wants to hear."

"They're glorious," I corrected, leaning forward to kiss her tenderly. "You're glorious." She rolled her eyes again and I leaned back, staring at her intently. "I mean it, Roza," I said seriously. "How can you think I don't find you beautiful like this. You're growing our children. You're making my wildest dreams come true." I gazed at her lovingly. "You're the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes upon. I cannot believe I got so lucky."

She smiled at that, the water sloshing around her as she leaned forward to kiss me.

"I hate to ruin the moment, comrade," she said after a moment, gazing at me apologetically. "But I have to pee." I chuckled as she sighed, "For the two hundredth time today."

I stood to help pull her out of the water and quickly dried her off, wrapping the thick cotton towel around her shoulders.

"I'm going to get you some fresh clothes," I said, turning towards the door. I came to a stop as I reached the door, turning back to look at her. "Unless you need my help..."

She glared at me and I raised my hands in surrender, backing out of the bathroom slowly before I rushed into the bedroom to get her some warm clothes.

I came back a minute later to find Roza still sitting on the toilet, staring at me sheepishly.

"Don't laugh," she demanded as I entered.

I furrowed my brows at her as I approached and placed her clothes by the sink. "What's wrong?"

She huffed, staring up at me in annoyance. "I..." she flushed bright scarlet. "I broke the toilet seat," she admitted, looking at me in mortification. "It just... cracked."

"Oh," my eyebrows raised in surprise as I reached out, helping to lift her up and quickly helping her change. I worked at keeping my expression straight as she stared at the ground in embarrassment.

"It's a very old toilet," I tried to console, but my voice was laced with amusement despite my best efforts.

She glared at me. "Don't," she threatened. "Don't you dare tell Yeva."

"I'll tell them I did it," I promised, now unable to keep the smile off my face. I glanced towards the cracked toilet seat and broke, erupting into a fit of laughter. "I'm sorry," I gasped out, working to get myself together as she scowled at me.

She shook her head, her head falling into her hands. "God," she moaned. "I'm so sick of this. I used to be hot, and now," she gestured towards her protruding belly. "Now I'm just a big lump who breaks seats and who my husband can barely lift."

My laughter died out and I pulled her into me, burying her face into my chest. "You're beautiful," I consoled her. "You know I think you're beautiful."

"I feel useless," she grumbled. "I used to be a badass for Vlad's sake. Yeva would quake in her boots at the old Rose. Now I can't even get off the couch."

"I still think you're a badass," I consoled. I smiled down at her scowling form. "Very, very intimidating," I agreed with a wry smile.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. The only way I could win a fight now is by sitting on someone."

I raised an eyebrow at her, fighting a smile as her eyes narrowed at me. "Don't," she warned.

"I think it's a good tactic," I said. My smile grew as I stared down at her. "It worked on the toilet seat."

"God," she groaned, shaking her head as she buried her face into my chest in embarrassment.

"Rose – 1, toilet seat – 0," I said softly. I lowered my face in her hair to muffle my laughter and she smacked my arm playfully.

"I'll sit on you if you're not careful," she warned. But when her eyes rose up to glare at me, there was humour there too.

"C'mon," I said as our laughter subsided. "Let's get you to bed."

"Unless I break that too," she grumbled and I chuckled.

As I helped her get in bed and crawled in beside her, I rolled over to rest my head on its usual place near her stomach. She sighed, her hands running absentmindedly over her stomach as she stared up at the ceiling.

"My family all said the last few weeks would be the hardest," I reminded her softly. She sighed at that, not acknowledging my statement in any way. "It's okay to not feel great," I reminded her. "It's okay to want them to be out of you now."

She nodded, biting her lower lip as tears welled in her eyes. I raised my head to hover over her, my hands reaching up to wipe tears from her eyes.

"I feel like a bad mother," she whispered after a moment. "I feel like a horrible, ungrateful person for not appreciating this lately," she sniffled, gesturing towards her bump. "For complaining about stupid things like heartburn and back pain when we wanted this for so, so long."

"You're not a bad mother, Roza," I consoled. "Lots of women feel this way at the end of their pregnancy. It's completely natural that the pregnancy is starting to wear on you." She nodded, her eyes still not meeting mine. "What's the matter?" I pressed when she was silent for a long moment.

"Dimitri, what if I'm a bad mother?" she asked suddenly.

I stared at her for a long moment, completely taken aback. "Where is this coming from?" I asked.

She sighed, her gaze finally coming to meet mine. "I just don't have the best example to go off," she admitted. "I don't know what a mother is supposed to do. What if I can't do it? What if all I do is mess these kids up?"

"You're going to be a great mother," I reassured her. "You're going to be the fierce and protective and loving woman that I married. It doesn't matter whether you had that example growing up; I certainly didn't with my father. But together, we'll figure it out."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face, "How the hell is this supposed to work?" she asked.

"It will work because we love each other," I consoled, reaching up to gently wipe the tears from her eyes. "What better example is there to set for our children than that?"

She nodded, wiping her nose as she smiled softly. After a moment, her hand reached up to caress my hair.

"I love you, comrade," she whispered. "Always have, always will."

I returned her smile, placing a warm kiss on her temple.

"Roza, you have no idea."

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**Only two more chapters left :(**

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	36. Chapter 36

**Hello all! I'm so sad that this is the second last chapter :( **

**I hope you enjoy this next little moment.**

* * *

**DPOV**

"Dimitri!" Roza called out through the darkness of our bedroom.

In an instant, I was awake. I sat upright, my hand flying out to switch a lamp on.

I looked over to see Roza on her side, curling in over her stomach as she sucked shallow breaths in through her nose.

My hands fell to her stomach instantly, rubbing it soothingly over her nightgown as I searched her face. "More Braxton Hicks?" I asked urgently.

She shook her head, her face grimacing in pain. "Contraction," she gasped through gritted teeth.

_Contraction? _My heart leapt in my chest as I stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you sure?" I asked dumbly. I knew she was sure; my brain just seemed incapable of keeping up with my mouth.

"No, I'm just faking!" she snapped sarcastically, writhing beneath me in discomfort.

I shook myself out of my panic-induced haze and shot to my feet, leaping out of bed as I began pacing around the room. When were we supposed to go to the hospital? Five minutes apart? I glanced at Roza nervously but thought better of asking her. She had enough on her plate. Five minutes. It was something like that; I just couldn't remember exactly what. Why couldn't I remember a damn thing? I'd sat through every pregnancy class, read every pregnancy and birth book cover to cover. But now, in my moment of need: nothing. My hands tugged at my hair in frustration as I watched Roza relax slightly on the bed.

"Was that the first one?" I asked urgently. I was supposed to count them. And time them. I glanced at my watch.

She nodded, her head falling back to her pillow, exhausted.

"Okay," I said, more to myself than Roza. "Okay..."

"Maybe get the bag?" Roza said, sounding as uncertain as I felt.

I nodded, _right, the bag. I should have remembered that. _I rushed over to the closet and pulled out the hospital bag we had packed weeks ago. I was so glad I'd listened to the advice and packed that ahead of time. I understood the logic, now more than ever. I couldn't think straight.

"I'm going to go get mama," I said after a moment.

That seemed like the best idea. Mama had done this before. I placed the bag on the bed and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Roza's head. "I'll be right back," I said softly, hoping to reassure her somewhat. Up until now, I'd certainly done a terrible job of that.

"Pants, Dimitri," she gasped out as I ran towards our door.

I looked down at my naked body. _Right, pants. _I swore at myself under my breath as I pulled a pair of sweatpants on, urging myself to get it together.

As soon as I was out of the door and out of Roza's sight, I dropped any and all pretence of being calm and collected. I sprinted down the hallway and into mama's bedroom. I didn't knock or wait, I just barged right inside. She shot up immediately as the door slammed open, staring at me in a sleepy haze.

"It's happening," I borderline yelled, staring at her for a moment, wide-eyed.

She nodded, moving to get out of bed. I didn't wait for her, instead, I raced back towards mine and Roza's bedroom. I shouldn't leave her alone for too long, surely. None of the books had said that, but it seemed like a pretty self-explanatory rule.

I heard shuffling and saw lights switching on around the house at all the noise I was making. I ignored that as I raced back down the hall to Roza.

I don't know what I expected to find when I burst back through our bedroom door, but it certainly wasn't Roza, sitting on the edge of the bed as she calmly pulled on a pair of leggings. I don't know why it surprised me; I knew we were still in the early stages. But some part of me still expected to burst through that door and find her writhing in agony, recreating a scene from that terrible exorcist movie Roza had made me watch last Halloween.

"Any more while I was gone?" I asked urgently and she shook her head, standing to pull her leggings up and over her protruding belly.

I raced over to her, giving her a hand before I gently lowered her back onto the bed. I gently lifted the nightgown from her top half and replaced it with the sweater she had gotten from the closet.

Mama entered the room then, the rest of the household streaming in slowly behind her.

"How many contractions has she had?" mama asked, coming forward to help me as I lowered Roza back into a lying position.

"Just the one," I answered, glancing at my watch. God, my hands were shaking. I tried to focus on keeping them steady for Roza's sake. I was supposed to be her rock today; she'd have enough on her plate without having to worry about me. "Five minutes ago," I told mama, glancing at her nervously.

As much as I hated to admit it, I needed her to take the reigns here.

"How long did it last?" she asked calmly

"I'm not sure," I answered, staring at her in badly disguised panic. "I didn't time it." I mentally kicked myself. I was supposed to time them.

She nodded, her calm demeanour relaxing me somewhat as she smiled at me reassuringly. "Keep timing them," she instructed gently. "If they're consistent for an hour and come every five or so minutes, then it's time to go to the hospital."

I nodded, my hand coming to my hair to tug at it slowly. "Right," I muttered quietly, willing myself to get my shit together. "Right."

I glanced around at my family sheepishly. "Sorry for waking you all."

Karo rolled her eyes before turning to go back to bed. The rest of them joined her, offering Roza a quick word of encouragement before they shuffled back to their bedrooms. Only Vika and mama stayed behind. Their eyes were on Roza as she lay back, propped against the pillows with her eyes closed.

"Vika, why don't you go make Roza some tea," mama suggested after a moment.

Vika nodded, quickly turning to leave the room. Before she did she shot me a warning glare that screamed _get your shit together. _

I glared back at her. _I'm trying. _

She left the room and I began to pace back and forth while we waited for her to return.

"Comrade," Roza whispered from behind me I turned to see her eyes had fallen open again. She was regarding me with tired amusement. "You're freaking _me _out."

"Sorry," I apologised.

I instantly felt terrible. I was meant to be this pillar of strength to her, but somehow I had been the one that was coming undone. I forced myself to be calm as I walked over to her slowly and sat beside her on the bed. My hand reached out to stroke her hair gently.

"It's fine," she replied with a small smile.

That smile turned into a grimace as she hunched in on herself again. I glanced at my watch, my hands fluttering helplessly over her as she groaned out in pain.

"What can I do?" I asked helplessly as mama came forward and stroked her legs gently through the blankets.

Roza ignored me, her body twisting on the bed as she groaned.

"Breathe, Roza," mama reminded her gently. "Breathe through it."

Vika entered the room then, a tray in her hand with two steaming mugs.

"I made some chamomile," she said gently, placing a mug on the bedside table. Her tone turned sheepish when she added, "Babushka also gave me one of her teas."

"Vika," I scolded, turning to glare at my sister. "She doesn't want it!"

At the same time, Roza gasped, "Give it to me!"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise but relented, quickly grabbing the tea from the tray. I handed it to Roza with shaking hands, trying my hardest to stop the thick brown liquid from spilling over the lip of the cup.

Roza was right; whatever it was, it looked and smelled putrid.

But Roza didn't even seem to notice the smell as she closed her eyes and quickly guzzled the warm liquid. She grimaced at the taste but drank it in three big gulps before her head fell back to her pillow in exhaustion.

"I'll try anything," she gasped in response to my questioning look.

I nodded, reaching up to hold the chamomile mug to her lips.

"This should help get the taste out," I said to her.

She smiled and took a grateful sip before her eyes fell shut again.

I placed the mug back on the bedside table and took her hand in mine, holding it as I watched her rest. I diligently checked my watch with each contraction, timing their length and distance apart over the next couple of hours.

The time seemed to drag by, with each contraction growing increasingly difficult to watch. It was clear that with each contraction that passed, they were growing more and more intense.

After what felt like a hundred contractions later, we hit an hour of consistent enough contractions. I looked over and mama and she smiled, excitement radiating from her.

"It's time!" she said, her hand falling to my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

I nodded, my body seeming to vibrate with nervous energy as I scooped Roza up into my arms. At least the time of Roza resting had given me some time to compose myself.

"Someone grab the hospital bag," I called over my shoulder.

Roza's eyes remained shut as I rushed down the stairs. I carried her as gently as I could, struggling to find the balance between the frantic, rushed speed my adrenaline was urging me to go at and making Roza as comfortable as possible.

Vika raced around me as I reached the bottom of the staircase. The hospital bag was over her shoulder as she opened the front door and held it open for me. I stepped out into the crisp winter air and tucked Roza closer to my chest. I watched my step as best I could with Roza in my arms, stepping cautiously in case there was any ice. Vika rushed ahead of me and unlocked the car. She threw the bag in the back seat before she opened up the passenger door for me, helping me as I placed Roza gently inside and buckled her in.

"Are you coming?" I asked as I hurried around to the driver's seat.

She shook her head, pulling her sweater tighter around her.

"I'll wake the others and we'll be there as soon as possible."

I nodded, climbing into the driver's seat as mama appeared at the front door and quickly made her way to the backseat.

"Ready to be a father, Dimka?" she asked me as I started the engine and turned the heating on high. Pride radiated from her voice as her hand fell onto my shoulder from her seat in the back.

I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak as I put the car into reverse. I went slowly, cautious of any ice on the road as I pulled the car out into the darkness.

Another contraction wracked through Roza and she leaned forward in her seat, a sharp cry coming from her lips. I glanced at her worriedly. They seemed to be getting progressively worse. How much longer would this go on for?

"Breathe, Roza," I reminded her gently as she curled in on herself, her breath coming out in sharp gasps.

"I know how to breathe, Dimitri," she snapped at me as she clutched at her stomach. "Just get me to the damn hospital."

She gasped out again, her head falling back. "I think my water just broke," she gritted out.

My eyes widened in panic and I pressed my foot harder to the accelerator.

After twenty minutes and four more heartbreakingly painful contractions, we finally made it to the hospital. I screeched to a stop in front of the sliding glass doors, not bothering to remove the keys from the ignition as I leapt out of the car and moved to lift Roza from the front seat.

"Can you park it?" I asked mama as I carefully lifted Roza into my arms.

She nodded, shooing me along. I didn't need to be told twice. I turned and jogged through the doors to the hospital, calling out for help in Russian.

A nurse rushed forward with a wheelchair and I placed Roza in it. My heart was hammering at a million miles an hour now. The hospital seemed to make it more real. This was really happening. I was going to be a father.

I jogged next to Roza as they began wheeling her towards the maternity ward. Roza's hand reached out to grasp mine tightly and I smiled down at her.

"We're having our babies," I marvelled.

She smiled, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine. "We're having our babies."

"Oh _fuck_," she suddenly cried out, her grip on my hand tightening like a vice as we made our way towards the elevators. "Is it meant to hurt this much?" she cried out. "It's getting so much worse!"

She stared at the nurse, who just looked at her apologetically. She didn't speak English. I knew Roza could ask in Russian, but I'm presuming the language was beyond her right now. Hell, I could barely find the words, and it was my native tongue.

"She's in a _lot_ of pain," I asked frantically in Russian. "Is that normal?"

The nurse's gaze turned sympathetic as she stared at Roza. "Yes, and it's only going to get worse," she replied in Russian. She obviously didn't realise that Roza could understand her. Roza's grip tightened around my hand as she glared at me.

"_Worse?_" she asked incredulously.

"We'll get her some medication for the pain soon, if she wants it," the nurse quickly added in Russian.

"Oh, I _want _it," she groaned, her hands clutching at her stomach.

She sighed in relief as the contraction slowly subsided, her grip on my hand subsiding with it.

"Get the pain relief if you need it, Roza," I said, gazing at her in concern. "I know you said you didn't want it, but if you're in this much pain..."

"I'm not drugging our babies," she snapped, her head falling back against the wheelchair in exhaustion.

Roza had decided she wanted a natural birth a long time ago. She said it was enough of a miracle she was pregnant at all, and she didn't want to tempt fate by doing anything that could cause even the slightest risk to our babies.

"She doesn't want anything," I replied to the nurse in Russian. Her eyebrows rose in surprise but she nodded, pushing the wheelchair out as the elevator doors opened.

We entered the hospital room and I gently helped Roza from the wheelchair. There was a hospital gown for Roza lying on the bed and the nurse instructed us to put it on. I nodded, helping Roza undress as the door closed behind the nurse. When she was in her gown I pushed the sheets back and carefully helped her climb in.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. My voice was laced with concern as I studied her tired face.

"Exhausted," she mumbled, her hand rubbing instinctively over her belly.

"Try and get some sleep," I suggested, leaning forward to brush my lips against her forehead.

She nodded, her eyes falling closed. She was silent for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"I'm scared," she whispered softly.

Those words tugged at my heart. I wished more than anything that there was some way for me to take this pain and fear away from her. That there was some way to make our roles reversed. But I couldn't. All I could do was be there for her. Be there for this incredible woman, who was going through so much to give me the greatest gift of all.

I pulled my chair closer to the bed. "I'm right here," I promised, my hand gripping hers tightly. "I'm right here with you and I'm not going anywhere."

We stayed like that for a long time, Roza resting as she could in between contractions. A nurse had come in and set up a monitor, so I could track the contractions by a green line on the screen. They were getting more and more intense as time went on. I did what I could to comfort Roza, offering her sips of water and pressing cool cloths against her forehead in those quiet breaks between contractions.

Mama was getting some rest out in the waiting room with the rest of the family, but she would be back in the room with us when it was time to push.

After what felt like hours of waiting, a doctor finally arrived. He was younger than I expected. I hoped that wasn't a reflection of his experience.

He greeted us in Russian but switched easily to English when I asked him if he spoke the language. I was thankful for that. Roza had enough on her plate without having to worry about the language barrier.

"Good morning," he greeted kindly, moving forward to shake my hand. He had a look through Roza's information quickly before he asked, "I'm just going to check to see how things are going along if that is okay?"

Roza nodded, barely opening her eyes to look at the man as he moved to examine between her legs.

I stiffened slightly despite myself. Logically I knew that this man was a doctor and would be delivering our babies. But it still felt... strange. Roza's eyes opened slightly, no doubt in response to my hand tightening around hers.

She gave me a '_don't even _think_ about being weird about this' _look and I nodded, watching the doctor nervously.

"It's all looking good!" he announced happily as he stood back up to stand. "You're four centimetres dilated."

"How much longer?" Roza panted.

"We usually say an hour or two a centimetre. Although it is often longer for twins."

Roza let out a string of curse words and I stared at him in shock. _An hour or two per centimetre? _That meant six to twelve more hours of this... minimum.

We'd been prepared from all the classes and stories for the labour to be very long; but now that I was faced with how much pain Roza was in, it didn't seem possible for this to continue much longer.

He smiled at us sympathetically. "You should both try to get some rest while you can."

The doctor left and Roza and I sat in silence for a long moment. Until that is, another contraction rocked through her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bending forward on herself as the green lines on the machine spiked erratically.

I stroked her hair back while I watched the lines. It was easier than watching Roza's face.

"I can't do this," she panted after they finally subsided. "Get them out of me, Dimitri," she pleaded, her eyes opening again to meet mine. "_Now_."

"Do you want me to ask them about pain medication?" I asked, glancing down at her hopelessly.

She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "No," she snapped. "Please stop asking me that." She sat up slightly at that, starting to give herself a pep talk. "I'm a freaking Dhampir," she muttered. "I can do this."

"You can do it," I reassured her, smiling down at her lovingly.

* * *

"I can't do this!" she cried out, her hand crushing mine.

"You can," I encouraged, kissing her forehead gently.

After eleven long, hellish hours of contractions, it was finally time for Roza to push. I stayed by her head, holding her hand and offering words of encouragement.

"I have to push again!" she cried.

"It's okay, Rose," the doctor encouraged. "Listen to your body."

Mama grabbed Roza's other hand as she began pushing, her teeth gritting together and eyes squeezing shut.

"You're doing great," I encouraged as she relaxed back into the bed.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at me, eyes wide. "This is your fault!" she hissed. "I have your seven-foot mammoth babies pushing their way out of my vagina!"

I didn't respond. It had taken a bit of trial and error, but I'd soon learned the best response was to keep my mouth shut. Roza wasn't particularly fond of me right now and seeing the hell she was going through, I couldn't take that too personally.

It was time to push again and she cried out, an almost animalistic cry as she hunched forward on herself slightly.

"Just breath, Roza," I consoled gently.

Her head whipped around to glare at me and I stepped back slightly at the anger radiating from her. "You did this to me!" she yelled. "We are... never..." she grunted, her face contorting in pain, "having sex... _ever again._"

Looking down at what she was going through, I didn't blame her. I didn't know how I would ever make love to her again and not associate it with all the pain she was currently feeling.

"It will all be worth it when you see your babies, Roza," mama encouraged. "Really, the moment you see them this will all be a distant memory. Look how many times I did it."

I looked up at my mama and suddenly had a whole new appreciation for her. She'd gone through all this to have me. Roza was right; men really did get the easy ticket in the whole baby-making business.

After a few more big pushes, the doctor let us know he could see the first baby. My heart leapt into my throat.

"You're doing so well, Roza," I said, smiling down at her as she gave another few big pushes.

The sound of crying filled the room and the doctor motioned me over. I froze, staring back and forth between him and Roza.

"Go on," mama encouraged.

I released Roza's hands and rushed to the other side.

"Congratulations," the doctor said with a warm smile. "You have a daughter."

_A daughter_.

He handed me a pair of scissors and I reached forward with shaking hands to cut the cord. The doctor then handed her to me... my daughter. I swear I had never been more happy or completely terrified in my entire life. She was so tiny.

I cradled her in my arms and stared down at her in wonder. I didn't think anything could ever be this small... this beautiful. I felt my heart swell with love, so much that I was worried I wouldn't be able to contain it.

"She's beautiful, Roza," I whispered, my voice cracking as I cradling her gently in the nook of my arm. I moved towards Roza, more slowly and carefully than I had ever moved in my life, to show her.

The doctor was doing an ultrasound now, checking on the position of the other baby. I barely noticed as I held our little girl for Roza to see. She beamed down at her, tears in her eyes, as they were in mine. She reached forward to stroke her head gently, seemingly at a loss for words. I didn't blame her. There weren't words for how perfect she was.

"Your other baby is in a good position," the doctor announced. "This should be relatively quick."

A nurse came over to take our baby and check and wash her. I very reluctantly gave her up, my arms immediately feeling empty without her in them.

"Homestretch, Roza," mama encouraged.

This time seemed to go a lot more easily. Roza was rejuvenated and in what felt like barely any time at all, a second little scream filled the air.

As I came down to stare at another little perfect face, the doctor announced, "Congratulations, two daughters!"

I couldn't hold back the tears now as I reached out and cradled this perfect little human in my arms. Somehow, she was even smaller than her sister. She stopped crying and looked up at me with curious eyes.

It took me aback, how suddenly and forcefully my heart was filled with love for my two girls. My angels.

Roza looked happier than I'd ever seen her, and I'm sure her joy was reflected in my own face.

Even when the nurse came to take our other daughter away, nothing could wipe the smile off my face.

"Thank you," I whispered to Roza, leaning down to kiss her gently. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

* * *

I lay next to Roza in the small hospital bed, each of us with one of our daughters bundled on our chests. They were fast asleep, but I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I could have been content to just lay here watching them, forever.

"I didn't think it was possible to love someone this much," I whispered, studying the little pouted lips of their sleeping faces. They were both deep in a milk coma. "They're so perfect," I said, my eyes gazing over them in wonder. "So beautiful, it hurts me."

"I know," Roza whispered, her voice thick with sleep.

We really both should have been sleeping, it had been a very long labour, and then an even longer night as every Belikov had poured into the room to meet our two little miracles. Abe and Janine had also flown in, arriving just after the birth. I knew Janine, in particular, had been upset to miss it. But at least mama had been there as a mother figure for Roza. Everyone was instantly in love with our little girls. I didn't blame them; they were the two most beautiful girls in the worlds. Even if my opinion was a little biased. After hours of everyone cooing over our perfect angels, it was finally just Roza and me and our daughters.

Izabella Masey Belikova and Liliya Ivana Belikova. Izzy and Lily.

We were silent for a long moment, Roza's breathing was heavy next to me as I gazed adoringly at our little miracles. I assumed at some point she had fallen asleep, so when she tentatively whispered my name, it startled me slightly.

"Yes, Roza?" I asked, never taking my eyes off of the soft fluttering movements of Lily's eyelids.

"I don't want to go back to the Academy."

I nodded slightly. That was fine with me. Wherever she wanted to go, I would happily follow. "Okay," I said gently.

She was silent for a long moment before she added. "I don't want to go back to our world at all."

I stilled at that, my gaze finally lifting off of our daughters to meet hers.

"You mean run away?" I asked, my gaze flitting over her tired face in confusion.

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"I don't want to have to keep our children a secret," she whispered to me, her voice hoarse. "I want the world to know they're ours."

My eyes filled with tears at that statement. She was right. Now that I had seen them, I had instantly fallen in love with them. So much more than I ever had thought possible. Could I really go out into the world and pretend these little girls weren't mine. I knew the answer. To even think of doing so nearly broke me.

"I'll never regret my life," she continued softly. "Because it led me to you... But that doesn't mean that I want our children to have the same life as I did... I don't want them to have to make those sacrifices," she closed her eyes and a single tear escaped, trickling down her cheek. "I want our children to have choices in life."

I nodded, glancing back towards the sleeping faces of our daughters. She was right again. I would never be able to send them off to the Academy. I would never be okay with them being told their life was worth less than a Moroi's. They deserved the world, and I would do anything to make sure we could give it to them.

"Okay," I agreed quietly. I reached out a hand to gently cradle Lily's head and smiled as she stirred slightly underneath me. "I don't care where we go," I said softly. "As long as I'm surrounded by the three of you, I will be happier than I ever thought possible."

* * *

**Sorry for the delay! I found this chapter hard to write because I have never actually given birth or seen someone do it haha. I hope I managed to do it justice. **

**Only the epilogue left to go! **

**Please don't forget to review.**


	37. Epilogue

**Dimitri**

**Epilogue**

Five Years Later 

"Abe, Janine!" I called out as I stepped through the front door, two suitcases in hand.

My family followed behind, completely speechless in amazement as we entered into the foyer of Abe's Bodrum mansion. I didn't blame them. My response had been the same when Roza and I had first visited on our honeymoon.

I put down the suitcases just as two little figures sprinted past me.

"Girls!" I called out, "No running around the pool!"

"They'll be fine," Roza said with a smile, coming to stand next to me. Alexander, our son, was in her arms, looking around nervously. It was his first visit to Turkey, and he was being as timid and shy as ever.

"Dede!" I heard the girls call out in unison. We rounded the corner to find the girls running and jumping into Abe's arms. He laughed, showering them both with kisses and talking to them in excitedly in Turkish before pointing them both towards their grandmother.

"You've gotten so big!" Janine marvelled, cuddling them both.

She said that every time she saw them. We saw Abe and Janine at least once a year at Christmas, usually more when they visited us in America, but the girls really were shooting up at an incredible rate.

Abe came towards us, pulling his daughter and grandson into a big hug before he came to greet me.

"Dimitri," he greeted, clapping a hand on my shoulder and pulling me into a hug. "I trust the flight was alright."

"Very comfortable, thank you, Abe," I said, returning his hug. "You didn't need to do that."

We had been in Russia visiting my family over the summer holidays and Abe had offered us his private jet to fly us over to Turkey. It was my family's first time visiting, and mama's first times ever leaving Russia. But Abe and Janine had retired here, so Roza and I tried to visit at least once every couple of years.

"Nonsense," he said with a smile. "It was just sitting idle anyway."

He moved past me to greet the rest of my family and I turned to watch Janine cooing quietly over Alex as he stared at her with wide eyes. He was still so shy, despite the fact that Janine usually visited and saw him several times a year.

Even at three years old, he still preferred to spend most of his time in Roza's arms, cuddled up to her quietly. He was nowhere near as loud and bold as his sisters, and although we had them often, larger family gatherings still overwhelmed him at first.

Once everyone had been greeted Abe ushered us all towards the outdoor patio, where his housekeeper had set up a very elaborate spread for lunch.

I looked over in amusement at the grin on Roza's face as she saw the literal _piles _of all of her favourite Turkish dishes. Abe and Janine had very graciously set up my family to sit in all the seats with the best views of the ocean. I smiled at the look on mama's face as I sat down opposite her. She had never seen the ocean before, had never been able to afford to travel much further beyond Omsk. To see her here made me so happy. And business was going so well for Roza and I that I hoped to be able to pay for her to visit us in America soon.

After the birth of our girls, Roza and I had moved to Maine, near where Sydney and Adrian had settled down. Roza had been so busy with the kids, but I had worked personal training and labour jobs, saving up as much money as I could. Eventually, we were able to afford to set up a gym of our own, a Mixed Martial Arts gym called Guardians. Roza and I took the classes ourselves, teaching a mixture of self-defence, weapons and offensive training classes. It was a lot of hard work, but our memberships were steadily increasing and we found ourselves more financially comfortable than we ever could have dreamed of being in the Moroi world.

It was also extremely rewarding work, and I knew Roza particularly enjoyed the women's empowerment and defence classes she took weekly, which included a session for young girls on how to set boundaries, be assertive and effectively say 'no'.

Living in Maine was a dream come true. We loved the freedom, and we loved living so close to the coast – especially the fact that our children could grow up playing in the ocean like neither of us got the chance to. (Although I did make Roza and myself both take CPR and lifesaving classes before I let our kids set foot near the water).

Maine was also perfect because we were close enough to Lissa to see her at least a couple of times a year. Roza was sure to make good on her promise that their children would grow up together, and our children truly were the best of friends. Just like their mothers.

We made sure to alternate our Christmases each year – one in the States with Lissa, Christian, Adrian and Sydney and their families and one in Russian with my family. Abe and Janine usually joined us wherever we were, and we flew out to Russia in the summer whenever we weren't spending Christmas with my family.

We had expected the transition to the human world to be much harder than it was. But everything had fallen into place so easily. Against all odds, we had it all. We were happy.

"How's the gym going?" Abe asked as we all finished piling up our plates with food.

"It's going well," Roza mumbled incoherently around a mouthful of köfte.

"Manners, Rosemary," Janine scolded, much to Lily and Izzy's amusement.

Their snickering was silenced with one warning look from Roza and I tried to hide my smile. Somehow, against all rhyme or reason, Roza had ended up being the stricter parent of the two of us. She always teased me about being wrapped around our children's fingers. And she was right. Try as I might, I just couldn't tell our kids no. They were my world.

"Still selling memberships like hotcakes?" Abe asked excitedly.

I nodded; jumping in so Roza could eat in peace. "Our numbers are growing really well," I told him with a smile. "Roza even had to add in a second of her women's classes because they've been so popular."

"You should let me invest, maybe even franchise it," he said, pointing his fork between the two of us pointedly. "You could be making a hell of a lot more money than you're making now."

"Baba, we've talked about this," Roza said with a huff. "We're the most financially comfortable we've ever been. We're happy with where we're at and we want to do it on our own. And we like that we are the ones teaching it, not some half-assed trainer we've never met in another State."

"I'm just pleased you're not working three jobs anymore," mama said, looking at me in concern. "The hours he would call me at! You must have never slept."

Roza shook her head, staring at me in amusement. "I know, I kept telling him to slow down," she shrugged. "What can I say, the man's an animal." She winked at me over a huge bite of pide and everyone around the table groaned simultaneously.

"I meant his work ethic!" she defended as I glared at her. "Keep your minds out of the gutter," she added, grinning evilly.

"Well the kids have inherited your appetite," I said dryly, trying to move the conversation along. "So the food bills are astronomical."

Roza rolled her eyes but smiled at me. It had been a rough few years, with me working crazy hours and Roza stuck at home with the kids a lot. At least she'd had Sydney and Adrian around for company, but it had still been hard.

But it had all been worth it. Eventually, we'd been able to save up enough to go into business for ourselves.

For the last two years, we had the flexibility of being our own bosses, not the mention the financial security that came with owning a successful business. Even the idea of trying to support a family on what I would have been earning on my Guardian's salary made me shudder. It wasn't plausible. Our children would have been sent off to the Academies far too young, just so that we could both go back to work. The idea of shipping them off and not being able to see them every day was too much to bear.

"Dimitri's not afraid of a little hard work," Abe commended with a nod. "Nothing wrong with a man who's willing to work hard to provide for his family."

I caught Roza rolling her eyes out of the corner of my eye and fought back a smile. She hated the insinuation that I was the only one providing for the family when she had also put so much hard work into Guardians. She and Abe had enjoyed many spirited discussions over the years about Abe's 'traditional' views on family. It was a wonder he did so well being married to Janine now, considering she was about the furthest from a housewife you could get. Even in retirement, she had kept up working part-time as a personal trainer so she could pay for things herself. I think she did it just to annoy him.

"How is the retired life treating you, Abe?" babushka asked in Russian.

He turned to her and continued the conversation in Russian as I watched on in amusement. Abe and babushka knew each other from Russia, and they actually had quite a close relationship, much to mama's shock.

We continued eating and chatting into the late afternoon, with Vika telling us exciting stories about the latest Strigoi hunting missions she had been on. She had more kills under her belt than Roza and I combined now, her neck littered with _Zvezda_ marks from battles where fifty or more Strigoi were killed at a time.

Which leads me to the most exciting news of all. Two years ago, Sonya and her team finally had their breakthrough. They had been continuing their research into Declan's blood, and when Roza had given birth to the girls, they had taken samples from them, as well as from Roza and myself.

Rose's blood was very interesting to them – she was immune, not unlike you would expect to see in someone who had been restored. They could only theorise as to why, perhaps it was because she used to be shadow kissed, or because she was healed so seriously by multiple different spirit users. Or perhaps the most disturbing theory of all, that Gabriel had succeeded that day of the mission; that he had actually given her some of his blood, but that by Nina healing her so quickly she had somehow reversed the change.

I tried not to dwell on that particular theory, only on the incredible fact that, somehow, both Roza and I were immune from becoming Strigoi. Which had meant that our daughter's blood was very, very valuable. Their genetic makeup was immune on two fronts, as was Alex's when he was born two years later. And after years of testing and trying, we finally had a breakthrough. From our children's blood, they found something very special. They found a vaccine. They were able to create and distribute a single injection that made any person injected with it immune to becoming a Strigoi.

Lissa had used her influence and worked with the Alchemists to ensure that every person in the world, Moroi, Dhampir and human, received the vaccine. And that meant that for almost a year now, no new Strigoi had been created. As a result, their numbers with declining at a rate we had never seen before.

In addition, after the overwhelming success of our first offensive attack on Strigoi and the success of the offensive magic programme, more and more Dhampir and Moroi had signed up to missions, not unlike Vika had. And with so many Strigoi hunting taskforces being deployed, the Strigoi didn't stand a chance.

There were still a few pods, hiding in the shadows. But their numbers were the lowest they had been for several generations. The statistics show that the entire race could be eradicated in the next ten years. And Lissa had made a promise to us all that when we succeeded, the Dhampir would be free to spend their lives however they please.

Our lunch continued well on into the late afternoon, the sunlight glistening off the ocean as we all chatted happily to one another. I couldn't keep the grin from spreading over my face as I took a glanced around the table to all the amazing people surrounding me.

To my son, who reminded me so much of myself as a child, who had eaten his dinner and curled up on my lap. I smiled down at the sight of him, his soft, chubby cheek resting against my chest, as his eyelids fluttered lightly in sleep. To my beautiful wife, who was having a (very ironic) war with Izzy and Lily over finishing their vegetables. To my mama and babushka, who had given us everything, and asked for nothing in return. To Abe and Janine, who had learned to accept me so completely as a part of their family. To my sisters and my beautiful nieces and nephews who were so patient and caring with my children.

I stared around me in amazement at my ever-growing family, marvelling at the journey I had taken to get here. Somehow, against all odds, I was happy.

* * *

"Turkish coffee?" Janine offered.

I turned from my spot on the balcony, looking over the ocean.

"Yes, please," I said with a smile, following her into the kitchen.

Abe had taken my family out to explore the area for the last few hours of daylight, but Roza and I had opted to stay back with Janine and the kids.

"Where are Rosemary and the kids?" she asked, as she poured coffee from the copper ibrik pot into two small mugs.

"She took them down to the beach for a quick swim," I said, thanking her and taking the mug gratefully. "I'm sure she would like one too, though."

She nodded, pouring out a third.

"You take it out to her," she said, giving me a small smile. "I have some tidying up to do here."

"I'm happy to help," I offered.

"It's no worry," she said, shaking her head. "The housekeeper's done most of it anyway. You go out there with your family."

I nodded, thanking her again before I picked up the cups and made my way towards the front door.

I stepped out onto the veranda, nursing the two steaming cups of coffee carefully in my hands as my eyes scanned the beach for my family. Far off into the distance, I could see four figures, playing together in the sand.

I started towards them, laughing softly to myself as they came into focus and I saw Lily throw a handful of sand at her sister. Roza pulled her to the side and scolded her lightly, but Lily shook her head in defiance, throwing another handful of sand. What started was an all-out sand war, the girls both shrieking as they took off at a sprint towards the water.

Despite her earlier lecture, Roza laughed, watching them for a moment before she bent down, her head bent softly as she listened to our son. I watched the exchange for a long moment, my heart swelling with love. It still amazed me how wild, impulsive Roza was capable of being so wonderfully patient and gentle. She listened to him quietly for a minute before she nodded and grabbed his hand, walking with him slowly towards the water.

As I finally stepped onto the beach I stopped for a moment, mesmerised by the sight in front of me. Roza lifted her t-shirt over her head, dropping it in the sand before bending and doing the same for Alex. She was still so beautiful, her body tanned and toned despite carrying our three beautiful children. It had softened slightly over the years, as had mine with our change in lifestyle. But she was even more beautiful, her slightly widened hips and softer belly were just wonderful reminders of the three little miracles she had given me.

She reached down, lifting Alex onto her back as she raced her way into the water, chasing after our daughters light-heartedly.

She playfully wrestled with Izzy and Lily, laughing as they clambered on top of her as Alex, gentle and shy as he was, clung to her back. The girls shrieked when Roza grabbed them each in one arm, throwing them up and into the water with a loud splash. Roza threw her head back in laughter as she watched our girls scramble to the surface. Her laugh quickly turning into a scream when Izzy and Lily turned on her, their tiny fists splashing streams of water all over her.

I watched the perfect scene in front of me for a long moment, tears brimming in my eyes as I reflected on the incredible journey we had taken to get here. How this wild, impulsive seventeen-year-old came crashing into my life when I'd least expected it, barging through the carefully constructed walls and rules I had built to protect myself. How, despite the careful image I had laid out for the world, she broke right through and saw _me. _

How by seeing me, she had saved me.

How she brought meaning and laughter and purpose into my otherwise hollow existence. How she loved me so fiercely that she never gave up. How she fought with fierce determination to save me when I was too weak to even believe that I deserved saving. How she took my hand and led me out of the darkness, one patient step at a time. How she had risked everything to change me, and our world, for the better. How, even after all of this, she had given me the greatest gift of all – three beautiful children. Two girls, bold and fearless just like their mother, and a son, more timid and reserved, but quietly observant and kind.

How did we end up here? I shook my head in amazement, calling out to my family.

Roza turned, grinning at me as she beckoned me into the water. She shrieked and turned to run as the girls scrambled towards her.

I smiled, placing the mugs in the sand and shrugging off my shirt before running into the water after them. I grabbed Lily and Izzy, wrestling with them playfully as they clambered over my shoulders. I held their feet, counting down before I propelled them out of the water. They screamed, somersaulting into the ocean with a big splash. Roza laughed, her eyes crinkling shut as she waded towards me in the water.

"You're next, little guy," I said to Alex, gently lifting him from Roza's shoulders.

"Small one," he said and I nodded, swinging him back and forth before I threw him into the water.

Roza and I laughed as we watched him scramble to the surface, turning to chase after his sisters. A moment later, I felt Roza's arms wrap around me, her head tucking gently against my chest. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her wet hair, brushing it softly from where it cascaded in the water around us.

We stood like this for a perfect, immeasurable moment, watching our children play in the shallows.

How did we get here?

It was a story for the ages; how a thousand twists and turns had set me right on the path to salvation. To my Roza.

Where I belonged.

The End

* * *

**Finito!**

**I'm a bit sad to be finishing this story; I hope that you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. **

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